On Monday, a federal judge decided to block Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to cut funding to the sanctuary cities – another effort to ramp up deportation and curb undocumented immigration

William Orrick, San Francisco District Judge called the order “unconstitutional on its face” in his ruling. Numerous threats have come from the White House to cut federal law enforcement grants for cities that did not agree with Trump’s efforts to combat undocumented immigration. Moreover, it threatened to put to shame the localities that failed to comply with attempts to increase deportations.

“The counties have demonstrated that the executive order has caused and will cause them constitutional injuries by violating the separation of powers doctrine and depriving them of their Tenth and Fifth Amendment rights,” Orrick wrote.

Both the city and county of San Francisco and Santa Clara had argued that lose billions of dollars each year. Lawyers mentioned that the order would apply to a few grants only and would involve far less money.

Dennis Herrera, San Francisco City Attorney, who filed two lawsuits against the Trump Administration, called the decision “a victory for the American people” and said the case was “a check on the president’s abuse of power.”

“This executive order was unconstitutional before the ink on it was even dry,” Herrera said in a statement. “This president and his administration have been trying to twist facts, stoke fears and demonize immigrants to score cheap political points. The American people are too smart for that.”

“Sanctuary city” refers to jurisdictions that limit compliance with federal immigration authorities, also including some that bar local police officers from immigration status.