Second federal judge extends block preventing the Trump administration
from freezing funding
[March 07, 2025]
By MICHAEL CASEY
BOSTON (AP) — A second federal judge on Thursday extended a block
barring the Trump administration from freezing grants and loans
potentially totaling trillions of dollars.
U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island granted the
preliminary injunction in the lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen
Democratic states after a Trump administration plan for a sweeping pause
on federal spending stirred up a wave of confusion and anxiety across
the United States.
In his ruling, McConnell said the executive branch was trying to put
itself above Congress and by doing so “undermines the distinct
constitutional roles of each branch of our government.”
"The Executive has not pointed to any constitutional or statutory
authority that would allow them to impose this type of categorical
freeze,” McConnell wrote. “The Court is not limiting the Executive’s
discretion or micromanaging the administration of federal funds. Rather,
consistent with the Constitution, statutes, and caselaw, the Court is
simply holding that the Executive’s discretion to impose its own policy
preferences on appropriated funds can be exercised only if it is
authorized by the congressionally approved appropriations statutes.”
The states say a litany of programs are still waiting for federal funds
or some clarity on whether the money is going to be delivered. McConnell
also said the states had demonstrated standing in this case.
“The States have introduced dozens of uncontested declarations
illustrating the effects of the indiscriminate and unpredictable
freezing of federal funds, which implicate nearly all aspects of the
States’ governmental operations and inhibit their ability to administer
vital services to their residents,” he wrote. “These declarations
reflect at least one particularized, concrete, and imminent harm that
flows from the federal funding pause — a significant, indefinite loss of
obligated federal funding.”
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said President Donald Trump,
a Republican, has “attempted to subvert the rule of law in favor of
illegal executive power” through his executive orders.
“We don’t have kings in this country, and today’s preliminary injunction
reaffirms that,” Neronha, a Democrat, said in a statement.
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President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the
Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
“Americans pay taxes to the federal government knowing that the
Congress will allocate their dollars towards agencies and programs
that will support them in their daily lives,” he continued. “The
President’s federal funding freeze would be laughable if it wasn’t
so utterly destructive. It flies in the face of everything we know
to be true about our government, namely our separation of powers, by
attempting to render the Congress as irrelevant.”
Among the funding impacted is billions of dollars that would fund
rooftop solar power in low-income neighborhoods, subsidizes low- and
moderate-income households’ purchase and installation of electric
heat pump water heaters and grants to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and other harmful pollutants.
“The Trump administration’s illegal funding freeze jeopardized law
enforcement funding, essential health care and childcare services,
and other critical programs that millions of Americans rely on,” New
York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said in a
statement.
The White House previously said the temporary funding halt would
ensure that the payments complied with Trump’s agenda, which
includes increasing fossil fuel production, removing protections for
transgender people and ending diversity, equity and inclusion
efforts.
The Republican administration has since rescinded a memo outlining
the funding freeze. Still, many state government, universities and
nonprofits have argued federal agencies continue to block funding
for a range of programs.
U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in Washington has also extended an
order blocking the funding freeze. AliKhan granted a preliminary
injunction requested by groups representing thousands of nonprofits
and small businesses.
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