White House budget director Russ Vought says the Trump administration will withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects, expanding funding fights that have targeted Democratic areas during the government shutdown.

Donald Trump’s administration will withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects, the White House budget director said Friday, expanding funding fights that have targeted Democratic areas during the government shutdown.

The administration is pausing a planned extension of the Red Line L train to “ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting,” budget director Russ Vought wrote on social media. The move throws immediate uncertainty into a project that had promised to connect some of the region’s most disadvantaged and predominantly Black neighborhoods.

Vought made a similar announcement earlier this week involving New York, where he said $18 billion for infrastructure would be paused, including funding for a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River.