A USIP lawsuit filed in D.C. requested a temporary restraining order and named Trump, several members of his Cabinet and DOGE representatives as defendants.
Patel, Trump’s nominee to be FBI director, was paid $25,000 last year by a film company that has promoted anti-Western views advanced by the Kremlin, documents show.
It appears to be the first Justice Department lawsuit against local officials for allegedly interfering with the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
The judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan, found that the plaintiffs had “demonstrated that irreparable harm will follow” if their request were to be denied.
Donald Trump is scheduled to be sentenced Friday on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to an adult-film actress shortly before the 2016 election.
Justice Juan Merchan’s sentence of unconditional discharge for Trump carries no jail time, probation or fines. Trump had faced up to four years in prison.