(New York, NY)--Rhode Island and a half-dozen other states were on the losing side of a federal appeals court decision on Wednesday regarding sanctuary city policies.The New York-based appeals court said the Justice Department can withhold federal law enforcement grants from cities and states that don't cooperate with government efforts to curb illegal immigration.A three-judge panel overturned a lower court ruling that the money should be released.According to a Providence Journal report, this appeals court decision doesn't affect a separate, ongoing lawsuit filed by the cities of Providence and Central Falls over the DOJ withholding funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.