In New Court Filing, Attorney General Nessel: Trump Administration Not Complying with Court Order to Unfreeze Funding Cuts to Federal Programs

In light of evidence of the Trump Administration continuing to block state funding, states file motion to enforce existing court order 

Preliminary injunction motion highlights the significant threats posed by the Trump Administration’s funding cuts to federal programs, affecting access to food, healthcare, and crucial services that states provide

LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a motion to enforce and a motion for preliminary injunction in NY v. Trump, the ongoing lawsuit challenging actions by President Trump, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and federal agencies attempting to pause nearly $3 trillion in federal assistance funding allocated to the states that support critical programs and services that benefit the American people. The coalition today seeks to preliminarily enjoin the Trump Administration’s actions to impose funding cuts to federal programs, emphasizing the widespread and irreparable harm to states, which rely on billions of dollars of critical federal assistance for public services to ensure access to education, clean air and water, and health care, and to support essential infrastructure projects.  

Citing evidence of ongoing disruptions impacting disbursements to states, and federal funds that remain blocked under the IRA and IIJA despite the court’s Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), which remains in place, the coalition also seeks to enforce the TRO to require the Trump Administration to disperse these funds. The motion further highlights the harm states face if funds under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) are not allocated as required by statute. For instance, IRA and IIJA funding strengthens domestic energy security, reduces energy costs, diversifies our domestic energy resources, rebuilds our domestic manufacturing economy, bolsters and modernizes critical infrastructure, and creates well-paying jobs while simultaneously reducing harmful pollution.  

"Even though we successfully secured a temporary restraining order to stop the Trump White House’s unprecedented, reckless, and unlawful attack on vital government services millions of Michiganders rely on, essential programs and grants in the state of Michigan still face illegal disruptions,” Nessel said. “These programs must be vigorously protected, and I will continue defending them against the Trump Administration's dangerous policies alongside my colleagues.”

As detailed in the preliminary injunction motion, without access to federal financial assistance, many states could face immediate cash shortfalls, making it difficult to administer basic programs like funding for healthcare and food for children and to address their most pressing needs. Shortly after the OMB memo issued last week, Michigan saw disruptions in federal funds for Medicaid, Head Start, food assistance, unemployment assistance, infrastructure investment, and more.

Amid evidence that the Trump Administration has continued to block or delay various funding categories, in violation of court order, the attorneys general filed a motion to enforce to ensure that these critical funds are swiftly dispersed so that states can put them to use to protect for the health, safety, and well-being of their residents.

Attorney General Nessel joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin in filing the motions.   

The motion to enforce and motion for a preliminary injunction is available here (PDF).

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