US judge temporarily blocks Trump from cutting funds over New York congestion program

A U.S. judge on Tuesday issued an order temporarily barring the U.S. Transportation Department from withholding federal funding from New York as the Trump administration seeks to kill Manhattan's congestion pricing program, according to an NBC New York reporter.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman held the hearing one day before Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned the government could begin withholding federal government approvals for New York projects.

New York launched its first-in-the-nation program in January, charging most passenger vehicles a toll of $9 during peak periods to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street, in a bid to cut congestion and raise funds to improve mass transit.