A federal district court in Rhode Island has issued a preliminary injunction to block the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from terminating $11 billion in public health funding, including $275 million allocated for Minnesota. This decision comes after Attorney General Keith Ellison led a coalition suing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., arguing that the cuts were illegal.
Attorney General Ellison stated, “I will say as often as I need to that Donald Trump is not a king. Trump and his administration cannot simply ignore or overrule the laws Congress passes and the funding Congress allocates." He expressed satisfaction with the temporary block on these funding cuts and emphasized his commitment to protecting Minnesotans' health through ongoing litigation.
The lawsuit, initiated on April 1, challenges the cancellation of critical public health grants which are essential for Minnesota's emergency preparedness against diseases like avian influenza, tuberculosis, Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa. The funding also supports disease surveillance and outbreak response capabilities.
The preliminary injunction will remain effective throughout Minnesota’s legal proceedings against Secretary Kennedy and HHS.