Court records show the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has lifted a $10 billion freeze on child care subsidies and social services funding for California, Illinois, Colorado, New York and Minnesota after legal obstacles got in the way of the Trump administration's funding freeze attempts.
The states sued the Trump administration, two days after HHS announced the freeze.
Dig deeper:
Letters were sent by the HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to the states notifying them that they were rescinding letters sent in January that requested data and information requirements and that the mechanism that the department used to enforce the temporary restricted funding drawdowns has been terminated.
The backstory:
Earlier this year, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing access to more than $10 billion of federal funds for childcare and family assistance based on what it said were concerns about fraud.
Trump has threatened to freeze federal funding for universities, research institutions and states over a range of issues including fraud claims, climate initiatives, diversity programs, transgender policies and pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's assault on Gaza. Rights advocates say the Trump administration’s issues violate free speech and due process rights.
The Source: This article includes information from Reuters and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF). This story was reported from Orlando.