Federal judge grants temporary restraining order after lawsuit led by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
(WNY News Now) – NEW YORK — A federal court has issued an order blocking a proposed $10 billion freeze on funding for key childcare and family assistance programs, following a lawsuit led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and four other states.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday granted a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from halting funds allocated to three major federal programs: the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). The funding supports childcare services, assistance for low-income families, and programs for vulnerable populations, including survivors of domestic violence.
Attorney General James welcomed the ruling, calling it a significant step in protecting families who rely on the affected programs. In a statement, she said the funding freeze was unlawful and emphasized that the blocked funds provide essential services to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.
The lawsuit was filed on January 8, with New York joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. The states argued that the administration’s action unlawfully withheld congressionally approved funding and threatened critical services nationwide.
The temporary restraining order stops the funding freeze while the case continues through the courts. No timeline has been announced for a final ruling.
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