The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York announced the ruling in February.

President Donald Trump has announced his administration will be withholding funds from sanctuary cities following a February court ruling allowing the government to withhold law enforcement grants from states that do not comply with U.S. immigration enforcement.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals court in New York announced the ruling on Feb. 26. The ruling overturned a lower court's decision that ordered the release of federal funding from 2017 to seven states and New York City. The states are New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Virginia and Rhode Island.

"As per recent Federal Court ruling, the Federal Government will be withholding funds from Sanctuary Cities," Trump wrote in a tweet. "They should change their status and go non-Sanctuary. Do not protect criminals!"

The court ruling pertains to the Congress' federal grant program called the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. According to the Associated Press, the grant is named for a New York City Police Officer Edward Byrne, who was shot to death while guarding the home of a Guyanese immigrant at the age of 22.

The Justice Department called the ruling a major victory for Americans. An ACLU attorney said it was the first such ruling to side with the Trump administration on the issue.