Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has announced that a U.S. District Court in Rhode Island has granted a temporary restraining order to restore $11 billion in public health funding across the United States. This order includes more than $250 million directed to Minnesota. "Donald Trump's contempt for both the rule of law and the people of Minnesota was on full display when he tried to illegally cut $250 million in public health funding to Minnesota," stated Ellison. He added that the funds targeted for cuts were essential for mental health, substance abuse services, emergency preparedness, and disease management, among other areas.
The court decision, issued by Judge McElroy, emphasized the "likelihood of success on the merits was extremely strong" for the multi-state coalition challenging the cuts. The judge noted there was a significant amount of evidence indicating potential harm from the funding withdrawal. The funding was initially appropriated by Congress to ensure the country's readiness for future public health threats.
Recently, HHS announced termination notices affecting state and local agencies' grants for tracking infectious diseases, immunizations, and modernizing public health infrastructure without prior notice. In response, Ellison, along with 23 other states and the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration's HHS and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., challenging the cuts' legality. Following the lawsuit, the court granted the temporary restraining order.