California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island has granted a motion to enforce a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration. The court's decision addresses the ongoing challenges states are facing to access Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding allocated for emergency preparedness and recovery.
"Today’s court order makes it unequivocally clear: the Trump Administration’s reckless effort to hold up millions in emergency funds is unlawful," said Attorney General Bonta. "We won’t stand idly by as we continue to see the Trump Administration breaking the law and will be closely monitoring to ensure that the Administration follows the court’s order and critical funds are released."
Previously, in response to the Trump Administration's attempt to freeze federal funding, a coalition of 23 attorneys general initiated a legal action in January. The U.S. District Court quickly responded by granting a temporary restraining order to prevent the freeze, which amounted to up to $3 trillion in federal funds. Following this, the attorneys general filed additional motions to ensure the enforcement of the restraining order and to maintain the flow of Congress-appropriated funds to families and communities.
Despite obtaining a preliminary injunction and enforcing motions to release frozen funds, the Trump Administration has persisted in freezing millions of dollars in FEMA funds. These funds are vital for emergency preparedness and recovery programs. While the Los Angeles wildfire recovery funds remain unaffected, the freeze has impacted recovery efforts in other states, such as the Maui wildfires.
The recent court order, aligned with the coalition's motion, once again directs the Trump Administration to adhere to the preliminary injunction and release the withheld FEMA funds.
Attorney General Bonta worked alongside his counterparts from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, and other states to secure this legal victory. The coalition aims to ensure that essential federal resources reach the communities in need without further delay.
A copy of the court order is available for public access.