CHICAGO (WAND) — Illinois and 22 other states had an early victory in a suit challenging the federal funding freeze ordered by the Trump administration Monday night.
The memo ordered the Office of Management and Budget to freeze federal grants and loans. After a day and a half of confusion across multiple federal offices and grantors, the president rescinded the memo.
The states are arguing that despite the rescinding, the funds were never actually unfrozen and that the action was an attempt to evade the lawsuit.
On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order in the lawsuit filed by Illinois and a coalition of 22 other states. The temporary restraining order prohibits the Trump administration from imposing a blanket freeze on federal funding. This temporary restraining order is valid until the court rules on the coalition’s motion for preliminary injunction.
“Despite President Trump’s actions since taking office, Jan. 20 was an inauguration – not a coronation of a leader to whom our nation’s Constitution does not apply. I am pleased the judge agreed with our coalition that the president cannot interrupt funding appropriated by the separate, but equal, legislative branch of government,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “Illinois relies on this federal funding to support our state’s most vulnerable residents who depend on Medicaid, to enhance public safety by protecting children from online predators, and to support the farming industry that serves as the backbone of Illinois’ economy. We will continue to fight the callous uncertainty this order has caused to hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents’ daily lives.”
In his order, Judge John J. McConnell, stated, “Congress has not given the Executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds that it has expressly directed to specific recipients and purposes and therefore the Executive’s actions violate the separation of powers.”
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