Appeals Court Upholds Block On Trump Administration’s Federal Funding Freeze, Raoul Says

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul released the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit largely upheld a lower court order blocking the Trump administration’s illegal effort to categorically freeze trillions of dollars in essential federal funding to states.

“This is a huge win for the health and safety of Illinoisans and all Americans. Within the first week of President Trump’s second term, his administration attempted to freeze trillions of dollars that they did not have the legal authority to freeze. We pushed back. We said no. We came together under the direction of the law to ensure the Trump administration could not take action that could have a devastating impact on funding for our state’s most vulnerable residents.

“The U.S. Constitution is clear: Congress is granted the power to appropriate funding. The executive branch cannot unilaterally disregard appropriations passed by a separate branch of government. Now, the court’s opinion prevents the executive from running roughshod over that principle. Blocking this freeze ensures our residents, including our children, are safe with access to health care, childcare, lifesaving medical research, mental health programs and sex education in public schools, and crime victim compensation.

“This federal funding is also essential for Illinois universities that depend on National Institutes of Health grants to develop new medical treatments that save lives. I applaud the court’s decision and will continue to fight any reckless and illegal efforts that threaten this essential funding for the health and safety of our residents.”

In January 2025, Attorney General Raoul co-led a coalition of 22 other attorneys general in suing to stop the implementation of a new federal policy that would have categorically withheld trillions of dollars in essential funding, impacting a vast array of important public services that states provide. In March 2025, Raoul won a preliminary injunction blocking the policy, and now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit largely affirmed that order.

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