Judge Blocks Trump Officials From Freezing Billions in Social Services Funds [View all]

Source: New York Times

Jan. 9, 2026, 6:28 p.m. ET


A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing roughly $10 billion in federal funding for child care and social services destined for five Democratic-led states, keeping funds flowing until a lawsuit against the government can progress.

In a brief order on Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian directed the Trump administration to release funds for three social services programs it had planned to withhold for the next two weeks while a legal challenge by the affected states continues.

The decision came less than a day after the five states affected — New York, California, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado — filed a lawsuit arguing that the freeze could create havoc among families with young children.

According to the suit, on Jan. 5 and 6, officials in the five states received letters notifying them of an immediate pause in funding for three major programs that serve low-income families and individuals with disabilities. That included around $7.3 billion through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, as well as nearly $2.4 billion from the Child Care and Development Fund, in addition to a number of smaller social service grants.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/us/politics/trump-child-care-funding-freeze.html