New Jersey, Multistate Coalition Block Trump Administration from Freezing Federal Funds

NEW JERSEY – In a significant legal victory, a federal judge on January 31, 2025, issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Trump Administration from enforcing a directive that sought to indefinitely freeze congressionally allocated federal funding. The order remains in effect until the court rules on a forthcoming motion for preliminary injunction.

Action Restores Crucial Programs for Residents Nationwide

Under the TRO, key federal assistance—including support for Medicaid, Head Start, school meals, and public safety initiatives—will again flow to state and local communities. Officials warned that halting these funds, as the Trump Administration proposed, threatened millions of New Jerseyans’ access to services such as nutrition assistance, law enforcement resources, and shelter programs for vulnerable groups, including veterans, survivors of domestic violence, and refugees.

“Today’s victory ensures continued access to vital law enforcement protection, indispensable meal programs, essential health care options, and more for millions of Americans including our children, veterans, and elders. We will continue to take all necessary actions to ensure our residents have access to the resources that are rightfully theirs,” Governor Murphy said.

Court Rebukes “Unlawful and Unconstitutional” Directive

The lawsuit—brought by New Jersey and a coalition of 22 other states—alleged that the Trump Administration violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law by imposing new conditions on already-awarded federal funds, effectively overriding Congress’s spending authority. Although the Administration attempted to rescind the directive shortly before a scheduled hearing, the court dismissed that effort as a “distinction without a difference” and concluded that the president lacks authority to ignore congressional spending mandates.

“Our victory in court is a reminder to the Trump Administration that they cannot trample on the Constitution and the laws of our country and expect to get away with it,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “The court recognized the serious harm that the federal funding freeze would cause to our residents and Americans all over the country. Today, we stood up for Medicaid enrollees, for Head Start recipients, for law enforcement, and for millions of New Jerseyans whose access to basic government services was recklessly put under threat, and we won. This fight is not yet over, but we will continue to stand up for New Jerseyans and the resources they are entitled to.”

Key Programs Temporarily Protected

Since the directive was enacted late Monday, communities across the country reported immediate harm and disruptions in programs such as:

• WIC (Women, Infants, and Children): Nutrition support for pregnant parents and infants
• Head Start: Preschool and developmental services for low-income children
• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program): Aid with heating costs
• Medicaid Enrollment Assistance
• School Meal Programs for low-income students
• Support for Homeless Veterans reintegrating into communities
• Domestic Violence Intervention services
• Refugee Resettlement support, including rent assistance and English-language training

The TRO ensures these programs will maintain critical funding while litigation continues.

Continued Fight for Preliminary Injunction

The court’s ruling bars the Trump Administration from withholding these and other federal funds until it decides whether to grant a preliminary injunction. Governor Murphy, Attorney General Platkin, and their counterparts in 22 states and the District of Columbia underscore that the fight is not yet over; the coalition will continue seeking a lasting solution to protect all Americans from unauthorized cuts to federal aid.

States participating in the lawsuit include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

For more information and ongoing updates about the suit, visit the Office of the Attorney General at www.njoag.gov.

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