In 2019, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Mary McElroy to preside over the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

Yet in what Trump may regard as a rogue move, the federal judge has blocked one of his administration's policies. 

Decision regards policies covering illegal immigration and transgenderism

According to Newsweek, McElroy's decision concerned restrictions which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has placed on the recipients of homeless housing grants.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development published new application criteria for homeless housing grants on September 5. https://t.co/xN09YiHB1d

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) September 13, 2025

Specifically, such organizations must comply with the Trump administration's requirements regarding illegal immigration and transgenderism.

Fox News reported in February that HUD Secretary Scott Turner unveiled new standards regarding female designated accommodations.

"We want to protect the ladies entering any HUD facilities," Turner said before noting that many of the women who rely on such services have already been victimized via domestic violence.

HUD secretary: Housing illegal immigrants "is not acceptable"

What's more, Fox News also reported in March that Turner was cracking down on the use of public money to house illegal immigrants.

"Those that are here illegally, that are living in HUD-funded public housing, we're putting (them) on notice this is not acceptable," Turner told Fox News.

"We will not have it anymore," he continued. "At HUD, we only serve one out of four Americans that we should be serving, and that has to come to an end."

"And so we're not only making it a priority, but we are making that our only priority, that American citizens will benefit from hard-working American taxpayer dollars," the secretary went on to add.

Judge slams "chaos" brought by new rules

However, Newsweek noted that McElroy put out a temporary restraining order on Friday which constrained HUD's new requirements covering $75 million worth of homeless housing funds.

"I think that it's unfortunate that we're here on these things that are done so last minute by these agencies. But here we are again," she asserted.

Her order came in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) and the Woman's Development Corporation (WDC), both of which are recipients of HUD funding.

Attorney Kristin Bateman represents the NAEH and WDC, and she accused HUD of "blackballing organizations and projects based on the policies of the states and localities that they've adopted at their local level."