Federal Judge Stays Funding Freeze for New York, Other States Amid Trump Administration's Child Care Cuts
A US District Court judge in Manhattan has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing $10 billion in child care and anti-poverty funding to New York and four other Democratic-led states. The decision comes after the Department of Human Services announced plans to hold back billions of dollars in federal funding from three key programs: the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Social Services Block Grant.
The freeze has significant implications for hundreds of thousands of New York families who rely on these programs annually. According to state officials, the programs represent $3.1 billion in federal funding that is crucial for supporting low-income households.
The administration had argued that the freeze was necessary to investigate potential fraud, but state officials countered that the cuts could quickly disrupt essential services and cause harm to vulnerable populations. In court, the states claimed that the administration's action was unlawful and that it offered no evidence to justify the freeze.
The judge has ruled that federal officials must lift restrictions on the funding while the case moves forward, giving the states up to 14 days to continue drawing down funds under these programs. The decision brings a temporary reprieve for New York and its fellow Democratic-led states, which had sued the Trump administration earlier in the week over the funding cuts.
The Department of Health and Human Services has yet to respond to requests for comment on the judge's order.
A US District Court judge in Manhattan has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing $10 billion in child care and anti-poverty funding to New York and four other Democratic-led states. The decision comes after the Department of Human Services announced plans to hold back billions of dollars in federal funding from three key programs: the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Social Services Block Grant.
The freeze has significant implications for hundreds of thousands of New York families who rely on these programs annually. According to state officials, the programs represent $3.1 billion in federal funding that is crucial for supporting low-income households.
The administration had argued that the freeze was necessary to investigate potential fraud, but state officials countered that the cuts could quickly disrupt essential services and cause harm to vulnerable populations. In court, the states claimed that the administration's action was unlawful and that it offered no evidence to justify the freeze.
The judge has ruled that federal officials must lift restrictions on the funding while the case moves forward, giving the states up to 14 days to continue drawing down funds under these programs. The decision brings a temporary reprieve for New York and its fellow Democratic-led states, which had sued the Trump administration earlier in the week over the funding cuts.
The Department of Health and Human Services has yet to respond to requests for comment on the judge's order.