Judge grants restraining order on Trump’s federal funding freeze

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Attorney General Peter Neronha said that the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted his  request for a temporary restraining order, stopping the implementation of the Trump administration policy halting federal agency grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs.

Neronha was named as a co-leader of a multistate coalition of attorney generals seeking to stop the police.

He argued that the proposed policy, which was issued on Jan. 27, would put an indefinite pause on the majority of federal assistance, “jeopardizing funds for health care, education, law enforcement, disaster relief, infrastructure, and more.”

Trump rescinded the order on Jan. 28.

Neronha released the following statement on the decision:

I am grateful for Judge McConnell’s careful consideration of this matter and for seeing the irreparable harm that this directive would cause, and frankly has already caused, Americans across the country. As we allege in our complaint, the Executive Branch does not have the authority to intercept crucially important federal funding that the Congress has already allocated to the states, and on which Americans rely. This directive targets public safety, health care, veterans’ services, childcare, disaster relief, and countless other cornerstones of American life. Make no mistake: this federal funding pause was implemented to inspire fear and chaos, and it was successful in that respect. These tactics are intended to wear us down, but with each legal victory we reaffirm that these significant and unlawful disruptions won’t be tolerated, and will certainly be met with swift and immediate action now and in the future.