Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Challenge to Los Angeles Sanctuary City Policy

U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit against Los Angeles's Sanctuary City Ordinance in June 2026, finding the government failed to state a plausible constitutional claim. The ordinance bars the city from using municipal resources for federal immigration enforcement. Judge Olguin's ruling invoked anti-commandeering doctrine—established precedent preventing the federal government from conscripting state and local officials into federal regulatory schemes. The administration can amend and refile, but the decision reflects how settled law constrains direct constitutional attacks on sanctuary policies.