WA signs up for multi-state lawsuit over Trump’s federal financial-assistance freeze
Washington state on Tuesday teamed up with 21 other states in suing the administration of President Donald Trump over its federal financial-assistance freeze.
The Washington State Attorney General’s Office wrote in a Jan. 28 news release that the suit pertains to the “illegal freeze of all federal financial assistance, which directly threatens the health and safety of Washingtonians reliant on a variety of federally funded programs by potentially withholding billions in funds from the state.”
National news outlets reported Tuesday evening that a federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump’s freeze. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, an appointee of President Biden, delayed the Office of Management and Budget memorandum from taking effect until at least 5 p.m. Monday, while a legal challenge plays out.
The White House did not immediately return McClatchy’s request for comment.
On Monday, the OMB issued direction to halt agency grant, loan and financial-assistance programs. Washington state’s attorney general noted in a news release that the move could affect special education and child-care grants, substance-abuse treatment, nursing care for veterans, energy cost assistance rebates, construction dollars and highway planning, as well as other programs.
In announcing the pause, the Trump administration stated that it wanted to ensure federal funding is acting to advance the White House’s priorities.
“The White House justifies this damaging move with culture war alarmism, but in reality they’re robbing governments and service providers of funds that keep people safe and serve urgent needs in all of our communities,” Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown said in a Tuesday news release.
Brown continued: “People’s jobs are at stake. Services for veterans are at risk. Health care and education would be taken from children. Programs that support crime victims could vanish. These examples are the tip of the iceberg.”
The multi-state lawsuit is headed up by attorneys general of New York, California, Illinois, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Others joining the complaint include attorneys general from Colorado, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Wisconsin, Vermont and the District of Columbia.
If federal funding is paused or revoked, it would impede crucial state programs, the state Attorney General’s Office said in the news release. It would also widen the state’s gaping budget gap and hamper efforts by the Legislature and state agencies to strategically prioritize budgeting needs.
“Presidents have significant powers and elections have consequences,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said in the news release. “However, President Trump’s refusal or inability to advance his priorities in a lawful and constitutional manner is creating needless and cruel chaos. We’re confident that the courts will, once again, determine that he is exceeding his authority.”
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for Rhode Island. It claims that the Trump administration is violating federal law by freezing financial-assistance programs while usurping Congress’ role and acting outside the scope of its constitutional authority.
The complaint asks for a judicial declaration finding that the Trump administration’s memo isn’t lawful. It also looks to enjoin the administration from implementing or enforcing the memo.
State Sen. June Robinson, an Everett Democrat, said during a Tuesday media availability that the attempt to halt federal funding heaps more uncertainty onto the budgeting process.
“It is very alarming, and we have to wait and see what happens,” said Robinson, chair of the state Senate’s Ways and Means Committee. “If federal funding goes away, we do not have the ability to backfill those dollars.”
Brown last week announced that Washington is spearheading a separate multi-state lawsuit, this one challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to end birthright citizenship. On Thursday a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked the implementation of the Trump-issued order.
On Monday, the state’s birthright citizenship lawsuit was merged with another filed by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, as reported by the Washington State Standard.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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