Judge extends pause on Trump federal funding freeze

U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan on Monday extended a temporary pause preventing the White House from freezing federal funds to federal grants, aid, and loan programs. President Donald Trump’s administration previously implemented the freeze in order to more effectively review the state of federal assistance programs. Several organizations sued the administration over the order, alleging it would hurt many communities across the country. AliKhan paused the freeze last week while she reviewed the merits of both sides’ arguments.

Why did AliKhan extend the injunction? In her 30-page order, Judge AliKhan argued that the federal funds freeze could cause irreparable harm to organizations related to healthcare, scientific research, and emergency shelters. She also found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their efforts to prove that the Trump administration’s order was arbitrary and capricious. AliKhan went on to order both sides to come up with a former briefing schedule for their arguments for and against the preliminary injunction by Feb. 7.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in Compassion about the effect of the funding freeze on refugee assistance groups, including churches.