Seattle is suing the Trump administration to block two executive orders that city officials say threaten local diversity, equity, and LGBTQ+ protections. The lawsuit, announced Thursday by Mayor Bruce Harrell and City Attorney Ann Davison, was filed in federal court in the Western District of Washington.

The challenge targets the orders “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” and “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” City leaders argue the directives unlawfully tie federal funding to compliance with restrictions on local DEI and gender identity policies.

“There are limits to presidential authority and no one, not even Mr. Trump, can ignore the constraints of the rule of law,” Davison said. Harrell added the city would pursue “every avenue to protect our people and our priorities.”

Seattle estimates it could lose as much as $370 million in federal dollars, much of it in transportation grants, if the orders are enforced. The city is already facing a budget shortfall of about $250 million over the next two years.

The lawsuit follows similar legal challenges filed by King County and the state of Washington earlier this year. District courts have so far sided with local governments in cases involving threatened funding.