Five states win temporary halt to Trump-era freeze on key federal support funds

On January 9, a federal judge in the United States temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze access to more than $10 billion in federal funding for child-care and family-assistance programs in five Democratic-led states. 

The administration had announced the freeze earlier in the week, citing concerns about potential fraud.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued a temporary restraining order after reviewing the arguments presented by California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York. These states filed their lawsuit late on January 8 in federal court in Manhattan, two days after the Department of Health and Human Services disclosed the funding freeze.

According to the states, the blocked funds include more than $7 billion from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash support to low-income families with children. The freeze also covers $2.4 billion from the Child Care and Development Fund, designed to help families afford childcare, as well as approximately $870 million in federal social-services grants allocated for children.

California, Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado and New York are collectively seeking to overturn the freeze, arguing that the administration’s move threatens programs fundamental to supporting vulnerable families.

By Tamilla Hasanova