Attorney General Neronha has co-led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing a second motion for enforcement against the Trump administration. The legal action aims to address the ongoing freeze of federal funding, which has persisted despite multiple court orders.
The funding freeze affects hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to states. These funds are essential for emergency preparedness and recovery programs that deal with wildfires, floods, and cybersecurity threats.
"This Administration is attempting to exert power beyond what the Constitution allows, and by doing so he is signaling that he believes himself to be above the law," stated Attorney General Neronha. He emphasized the importance of these funds for public safety and criticized the administration for not complying with Judge McConnell's order. "When the President and his Administration continuously flout court orders, they are testing the boundaries of what they can get away with, and toying with American lives in the process."
The coalition initially sued on January 28 over the funding freeze. A temporary restraining order was granted on January 31, blocking its implementation. Subsequent motions were filed on February 7 for enforcement and a preliminary injunction to stop the freeze until a resolution is reached. The court granted these motions on February 8.
Despite these legal measures, Attorney General Neronha reports continued withholding of funds by the administration, impacting state programs responsible for crucial services like wildfire prevention and emergency management.
Today's second motion for enforcement was filed in U.S. District Court for Rhode Island. It seeks an order requiring fund release unless evidence is provided that they have been unfrozen.
The lawsuit is led by attorneys general from Rhode Island, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. Additional support comes from attorneys general across various states including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin as well as the District of Columbia.