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@KVOAA federal court has blocked cuts to public health funding that would have impacted Arizona. AG Kris Mayes vows to continue fighting for essential services.
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Judge Mary S. McElroy Blocks Trump Administration's $11 Billion Public Health Cuts After 23 States' Lawsuit
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A coalition of 23 states and the District of Columbia, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and joined by 19 other state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit on April 1 against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Transportation to block new rules tying billions of dollars in federal transportation and public health funding to immigration enforcement.
On May 16, U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy in Rhode Island granted a preliminary injunction, extending a temporary restraining order from the previous month, that prevents the Trump administration from cutting nearly $11 billion in grants appropriated by Congress for state public health programs. The judge found the administration's abrupt termination of these funds likely violated congressional authority over federal spending.
The lawsuit argued that the cuts would severely impact public health infrastructure, including COVID-19 initiatives, mental health, and substance abuse programs. Judge McElroy noted that HHS lacked the authority to unilaterally halt the funding and failed to follow required procedures for terminating block grant programs.
The injunction applies only to the states involved in the lawsuit and requires the federal government to demonstrate compliance by Tuesday. Health departments in several states had already reported layoffs after the administration began retracting the funds in late March. State officials, including Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, emphasized the importance of the funding for maintaining essential health services, particularly in rural areas.
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