A federal judge in San Francisco blocked a decree by US President Donald Trump, according to which so-called asylum cities harboring illegal migrants should be deprived of budgetary funding.

Judge William Orrik found the president's decree anti-constitutional.

The decree was challenged by the municipalities of the districts of San Francisco and Santa Clara. They referred to the fact that according to the US Constitution, the president has no right to introduce certain rules in the territory of cities or municipalities, and the rules for the treatment of immigrants are under the jurisdiction of local authorities.

The refugee cities first appeared in the United States in the 1970s. Now there are more than 300 such cities in the country, whose local authorities refuse to inform the federal authorities about the immigration status of residents.

Donald Trump signed a decree restricting federal funding for refugee cities in late January.