impoundment

A 1974 law made impoundment illegal, but Trump has suggested that he will ignore the prohibition and challenge it in court.

Last year, as part of his campaign, Mr. Trump vowed to restore what he called “the president’s long-recognized impoundment power,” though he nodded to working with Congress.

Both the Navajo and Hopi tribes are seeking the ability to lease water and to store it in existing or new reservoirs and impoundments.

He responded by threatening chartered buses with impoundment if they did not adhere to limits on arrival times, leading to the end-run in New Jersey.

The city has said operators began trying to drop people off in neighboring cities to avoid penalties including fines, towing or impoundment.