NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore funding to a new rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey on Friday, ruling just as construction was set to shut down on the massive infrastructure project.<\/p>\n
The decision came months after the administration announced it was halting $16 billion in support<\/a> for the project, citing the then-government shutdown and what a top federal budget official said were concerns about unconstitutional spending around diversity, equity and inclusion principles. <\/p>\n U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas in Manhattan approved a request by New York and New Jersey for a temporary restraining order barring the administration from withholding the funds while the states seek a preliminary injunction that would keep the money flowing while their lawsuit plays out in court.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Court is also persuaded that Plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction,\u201d the judge wrote. \u201cPlaintiffs have adequately shown that the public interest would be harmed by a delay in a critical infrastructure project.\u201d<\/p>\n The White House and U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Friday night.<\/p>\n New York Attorney General Letitia James called the ruling \u201ca critical victory for workers and commuters in New York and New Jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am grateful the court acted quickly to block this senseless funding freeze, which threatened to derail a project our entire region depends on,\u201d James said in a statement. \u201cThe Hudson Tunnel Project is one of the most important infrastructure projects in the nation, and we will keep fighting to ensure construction can continue without unnecessary federal interference.\u201d<\/p>\n The panel overseeing the project, the Gateway Development Commission, had said work would stop late Friday afternoon because of the federal funding freeze, resulting in the immediate loss of about 1,000 jobs as well as thousands of additional jobs in the future. <\/p>\n It was not immediately clear when work would resume. In a nighttime statement, the commission said: \u201cAs soon as funds are released, we will work quickly to restart site operations and get our workers back on the job.\u201d<\/p>\n The new tunnel is meant to ease strain on an existing, over 110-year-old tunnel that connects New York and New Jersey for Amtrak and commuter trains, where delays can lead to backups up and down the East Coast. <\/p>\n New York and New Jersey sued over the funding pause<\/a> this week, as did the Gateway Development Commission, moving to restore the Trump administration\u2019s support.<\/p>\n