Four states led by Democratic governors filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday seeking to stop the Trump administration from pulling $600 million in federal public health funding, according to the complaint lodged in a Chicago federal court.
The plaintiffs - California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota - contend the administration's move unlawfully imposes "devastating funding cuts to basic public health infrastructure based on political animus and disagreements about unrelated topics such as federal immigration enforcement."
The money at issue is distributed through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is used to maintain core public health capabilities. The complaint says the funds support routine activities such as tracking health threats, responding to disease outbreaks and planning for public health emergencies. It also identifies programs focused on HIV prevention and surveillance as among those that would be affected.
The lawsuit follows a pattern of legal confrontations between the administration and states led by Democrats over federal funding. The article notes that last month a judge temporarily blocked the administration from freezing more than $10 billion in federal funds tied to childcare and family assistance for five Democratic-led states.
According to the complaint, the administration had signaled its intent earlier in the year. In January the president warned he would begin halting funds to what he termed "sanctuary cities or states" starting in February, asserting that such jurisdictions' policies contribute to "fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come."
The litigation in Chicago frames the dispute as more than an administrative funding decision, characterizing it as an effort that could have tangible effects on state-run public health systems and specific prevention programs. The states seek judicial relief to preserve the $600 million in CDC-administered grants while the legal challenge proceeds.
Context and next steps
The suit will be heard in federal court, where the states will ask a judge to enjoin the administration from terminating the funding. The complaint presents the alleged political motivation behind the cuts as central to the states' legal argument.
At this stage, the outcome is uncertain and will depend on the court's assessment of the legality of the administration's action and the evidence presented about motive and harm to public health programs.