Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Freezing Child Care Funding in Five States
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration cannot temporarily block federal funding for child care and other assistance programs in five Democratic-led states, including New York. The decision allows crucial support to continue flowing to families and providers while the legal dispute moves forward.
The affected states—New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota—had argued that a policy announced earlier this week, which aimed to freeze funds for three grant programs, was causing “operational chaos” and lacked legal justification. The programs include the Child Care and Development Fund, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and the Social Services Block Grant. Collectively, the states receive over $10 billion annually from these programs.
The Trump administration said the funding freeze was necessary because it “had reason to believe” the states were granting benefits to individuals in the U.S. illegally. The government did not provide evidence or explain why only these five states were targeted.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, representing the state in court, said the freeze jeopardized essential services, including child care, housing, food assistance, and foster care programs. “We will fight back against this lawless action with every possible tool available to us,” she said.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta echoed the criticism, calling the freeze “punitive, vindictive, and unconstitutional” and arguing it was politically motivated against Democratic-led states.
Judge Arun Subramanian, appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued a temporary ruling allowing the funds to continue while the case proceeds. The federal government had requested extensive data from the states, including the names and Social Security numbers of recipients, which state officials challenged as unnecessary and intrusive.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York expressed confidence in the courts despite the recurring legal battles. “It’s a shame that everything we do has to start with a call to my lawyer, but we’ve been successful in court before,” she said.
The outcome ensures that support for hundreds of thousands of needy families and critical social services programs will continue for now, as states prepare to defend their positions against the Trump administration’s funding freeze.
