U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that her imposition of a congestion toll to reduce vehicle use in Lower Manhattan amounts to "class warfare" and must be stopped.

He wrote to the governor that New York would face severe consequences if she continued to ignore the Trump administration’s demand to end the toll practice. The previous deadline was Monday and now has been pushed to May 21.

Duffy reminded the governor that states and local units of government are not allowed to charge tolls on roadways that were constructed using federal funding. New York got a waiver from the Biden administration to move ahead. But that waiver was rescinded by the Trump administration.

The tolls charged by the state against drivers entering the affected area during high traffic times average about $9 for standard passenger cars and small trucks. The idea is to reduce traffic in the affected area.

Duffy wrote Hochul that without compliance by next month, New York faces a list of consequences that could involve blocking some construction authorizations in Manhattan, then extending to the entire state with continued noncompliance.

Legal action is pending surrounding the back and forth between the state and the Trump administration over the issue. The AP reported that an official with the Manhattan Transportation Authority said in a case filing that "congestion pricing is here to stay."

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