(WNY News Now) The Trump administration’s plan to freeze government grants, loans, and financial aid programs has been temporarily halted by a federal court. The decision follows a lawsuit challenging the policy filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and a group of 22 attorneys general.
NEW YORK Today, a group of 22 attorneys general, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, celebrated winning a court order that stopped the Trump administration’s strategy of blocking numerous federal agency grants, loans, and other financial aid programs. After Attorney General James and the coalition filed a lawsuit to halt the program, U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island Judge John J. McConnell issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on Friday, preventing the administration’s unlawful funding freeze.
According to Attorney General James, Congress, not the President of the United States, has the authority to control the purse. I led a group of attorneys general in a lawsuit last week to halt this risky and disorganized strategy, and we were successful in getting a court order to halt it while our case is pending. New Yorkers may now relax knowing that government funding for vital services, like as health care, disaster relief, public safety in the community, senior meals, and much more, is currently safe. I’ll keep fighting in court to protect the vital services and programs that New Yorkers require.
Unless specifically allowed by an existing statute or the grant’s terms, the TRO that Attorney General James secured forbids federal agencies from taking any action that would delay, freeze, block, cancel, or terminate the supply of federal cash. Programs that support public schools, fight violence and increase public safety, give vital health and childcare services to families in need, give states life-saving disaster relief, and more are no longer in immediate danger of losing funding as a result of Attorney General James’ prompt intervention.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that the TRO prohibiting the unlawful freeze applied to all federal funding awards or obligations, including those made to recipients like hospitals, non-profits, or other organizations, and expressed its intention to abide by the court order in anotice sent to federal agencies and filed with the court this morning. The TRO included both ongoing and upcoming government aid awards.
Attorney General James also wrote to hundreds of federal grantees this morning to let them know that the administration’s policy, which is now blocked, prevents federal financial aid from being stopped. This includes medical professionals, who were told that funding cannot be stopped or revoked because they treat minors in a gender-affirming manner. New York state laws, such as those that forbid discrimination against people on the basis of their sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or membership in other protected classes, must be followed by all providers in the state, regardless of funding, Attorney General James also reminded providers. Attorney General James cautions that all providers must continue to provide health care services, including gender affirming treatment, to transgender or gender nonconforming people in order to comply with New York law.
Together with the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, Attorney General James spearheaded this case. Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia are among the states’ attorneys general who have joined the lawsuit.