Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has announced a legal challenge against the Trump administration's decision to freeze federal grants. This lawsuit, filed in collaboration with 22 other states and the District of Columbia, aims to counteract an order from the White House that has affected billions of dollars in funding for essential services such as healthcare, food, public safety, and housing.
"In the past 24 hours, an order from the White House has impacted billions of dollars in funds that Oregonians rely on for healthcare, food, public safety, housing and more," stated Attorney General Dan Rayfield. "The President is playing politics with our day-to-day lives, all to advance his agenda. He has a history of punishing states with whom he disagrees."
The lawsuit was filed today in federal district court in Rhode Island. Its primary objective is to halt the freeze immediately due to its impact on underserved populations and agencies providing critical services.
In a related development, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan granted temporary relief by pausing part of the directive through a separate lawsuit initiated by Democracy Forward. The judge ordered that funds already scheduled for distribution should not be blocked until at least February 3rd.
Building on this temporary measure, Oregon and its allied states are seeking permanent injunctive and declaratory relief to safeguard their residents from potential harm caused by the funding freeze.
"This funding comes from federal tax dollars that Oregonians have paid," Rayfield emphasized. "Not getting these funds could mean some families will lose access to basic medical services—because clinics will have to reduce hours and cut staff. This is just another attempt by President Trump to sow chaos and the people who rely on this money will suffer irreparable harm."
Rayfield joined Governor Tina Kotek earlier this week to discuss the lawsuit's implications for Oregon residents during a press conference.