Federal judge issues restraining order blocking federal spending freeze

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has issued a temporary restraining order against a Trump administration effort to freeze funding for federal grants and other programs.

Monday's order by U.S. Judge Loren AliKhan comes in response to a memo released by the Office of Management and Budget last week directing the funding pause. The memo spurred a legal challenge from a group of nonprofits, prompting the judge to initially order a temporary stay. The White House later said the memo was rescinded but vowed to continue its efforts to review federal funding.

The temporary restraining order expands the scope of the initial pause the court put in place last week, just as the funding freeze was set to take effect.

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In her latest order, AliKhan blocked the administration "from implementing, giving effect to, or reinstating under a different name the directives" in the original OMB memo.

It also directs the OMB — which is part of the executive branch — to provide the court with a status report on its compliance by Friday. The judge also noted that any open awards that were previously frozen must be released.

In her decision, AliKhan faulted the administration for an effort to "run roughshod over a 'bulwark of the Constitution' by interfering with Congress's appropriation of federal funds." The administration's plan, she added, "attempted to wrest the power of the purse away from the only branch of government entitled to wield it."

The White House said it would not comment on pending litigation.

After rescinding the OMB memo last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed the move would not deter the administration's work.

"In the coming weeks and months, more executive action will continue to end the egregious waste of federal funding," she said.

The legal challenge to the OMB memo was brought by a coalition of non-profit organizations, including the National Council of Nonprofits, Democracy Forward, the American Public Health Association, Main Street Alliance and SAGE. In a statement Monday, the groups celebrated the decision and criticized the administration's plans as "reckless."

"Nonprofits across the country have been left in limbo by the Trump administration's callous actions. Now, they finally have some needed clarity and can continue to do their essential work," said Diane Yentel of the National Council of Nonprofits.

The administration is facing additional legal challenges brought on by the OMB memo.

In a separate but related case, a federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday issued a temporary restraining order against the administration's efforts to freeze payments in response to a challenge brought by Democratic attorneys general in 22 states and the District of Columbia.
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