A federal appeals court in New York says the Trump administration can withhold law enforcement grants to force states and cities to cooperate with U.S. immigration enforcement. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

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.

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