Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a coalition of 17 states, has secured a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration. This legal action aims to restore access to essential U.S. Department of Education funds that support various student programs across Illinois.
The injunction mandates the Trump administration to reinstate state access to funds designed for low-income and unhoused students, as well as other critical school services addressing the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 education.
"The Trump administration’s shortsighted and illegal decision to attempt to rescind already-appropriated education funding would hurt vulnerable students the most and could wreak havoc on the budgets of school districts throughout Illinois and the nation," Raoul stated. "I am committed to joining with my fellow attorneys general to stand up against the president’s continued illegal and reckless actions."
Judge Edgardo Ramos from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued this injunction. It prevents enforcement of a March 28 letter from Education Secretary Linda McMahon that rescinded states' ability to access grants awarded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). On April 10, Raoul and his coalition filed a lawsuit challenging this unilateral decision by the Trump administration, which blocked over $1 billion in ARPA grants previously accessible until March 2026.
ARPA funded three key educational programs aimed at mitigating COVID-19's long-term effects: Homeless Children and Youth (HCY), Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), and Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS). These programs are vital for helping schools recover from pandemic-related challenges.
Raoul and his colleagues argue that terminating access to these funds creates significant budget gaps that jeopardize crucial educational services for students and teachers.
The lawsuit was filed with support from attorneys general in Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, as well as Pennsylvania's governor.