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California Attorney General Rob Bonta secured a temporary restraining order halting the Trump Administration’s attempt to freeze $10 billion in federal funding, including roughly $5 billion designated for California.
By News Desk
The affected programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Child Care and Development Fund, and the Social Services Block Grant, support millions of residents, including children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
The order also prevents federal officials from demanding extensive documentation and years of data, including personally identifiable information about benefit recipients, which had been requested as part of the freeze.
In a statement, Bonta criticized the funding halt and emphasized the importance of protecting assistance programs for vulnerable communities. He called the court’s action an important step while the broader legal challenge proceeds.
The restraining order follows a lawsuit filed by attorneys general from California, New York, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota in the Southern District of New York. The suit challenges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to freeze funds for the five states, which HHS said was due to concerns about fraud — concerns the agency did not provide evidence to support.
The coalition of attorneys general argues that the freeze violates the Administrative Procedure Act, the Separation of Powers, and the U.S. Constitution’s Appropriations and Spending Clauses.
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