A coalition of local governments across the Pacific Northwest has filed a new federal lawsuit seeking to block what they describe as illegal restrictions tied t
A coalition of local governments across the Pacific Northwest has filed a new federal lawsuit seeking to block what they describe as illegal restrictions tied to congressionally approved funding.
The lawsuit, filed Sept. 14, challenges the federal government’s attempt to apply anti-DEI, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-abortion directives as requirements for receiving funding appropriated by Congress.
The case is titled Port of Seattle, et al. v. Blanche, et al., and follows earlier litigation, Martin Luther King, Jr. County, et al., v. Scott Turner, et al., which the plaintiffs say “to date has protected hundreds of millions of dollars in King County alone.”
“The Port of Seattle is fighting the Trump Administration’s effort to undermine the award-winning and effective programs that expand opportunity to everyone in our community,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Ryan Calkins. Calkins said federal funding is essential to the Port’s operations, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which he said “serves nearly 53 million travelers annually.” He also said the Port is “a catalyst for more than 204,000 jobs” and relies on federal resources to support “safety, security, and efficient operations.”
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said the county has already prevailed in similar cases. “We have recently fought – and won – similar lawsuits to protect hundreds of millions of dollars for King County,” Manion said. “The court has been clear: there is no legal basis for the President to impose anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-abortion directives as a prerequisite to receive congressionally-authorized funding.”
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said the administration is using federal dollars to pressure local governments. “The Trump administration continues to try to use federal funding as a weapon to force local governments to compromise on their values and adopt its harmful ideologies,” Zahilay said. “Here in King County, we will not be bullied into choosing between the funding our communities rely on and being a welcoming, inclusive place for all people.”
According to the filing, the funds at stake are resources awarded by Congress for which local agencies say they have met all required conditions, but that the president attempted to revise the terms to advance federal directives, including “forcing local police agencies to support federal civil immigration.”
The lawsuit cites a wide range of funding areas, including public transportation, public safety, emergency preparedness, environmental protection, flood risk reduction, agricultural assistance, parks and recreation, public health, housing, and more.
The plaintiffs include the Port of Seattle, Martin Luther King Jr. County, Thurston County, the city of Bellingham, Snohomish County, the city of Bremerton, and Kitsap County. The case challenges efforts by the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce, Agriculture, Energy, Labor, and Interior, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to incorporate various grant conditions from Trump administration executive orders.
The lawsuit also points to a recent ruling in related litigation. Just last month, the Ninth Circuit substantially upheld an injunction against similar conditions in Martin Luther King, Jr. County, et al., v. Scott Turner, et al., involving grant conditions attached by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transport.
The local governments are seeking a court order declaring the grant conditions unlawful, void, and unenforceable, and blocking their imposition and enforcement. With the complaint now filed, the next anticipated step is a motion for a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
