Federal courts side with Del. AG, other states in lawsuits against Trump Administration

DELAWARE – Two federal courts have sided with Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings and other state attorneys general in legal battles against the Trump Administration.

Jennings and her colleagues have secured a nationwide preliminary injunction, preventing the administration from cutting billions of dollars in funds supporting cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country. Less than 24 hours later, another federal judge issued a separate preliminary injunction that blocks the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to freeze funding for essential federal agency grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs.

Jennings and a coalition of AGs sued the Trump Administration last month over funding cuts that jeopardized millions of dollars at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, and other facilities in the state. Less than six hours after the lawsuit was filed, a judge issued a temporary restraining order against the National Institutes of Health, barring its attempts to cut the critical funding until the court could decide on the motion for a preliminary injunction, which was granted on Wednesday.

Additionally, Jennings and her colleagues sued the Trump Administration in late January to prevent a sudden and catastrophic freeze of billions in federal funds supporting healthcare, education, public safety, housing and infrastructure that bipartisan congressional majorities appropriated to Delaware and other states. The preliminary injunction was granted on Thursday.

In the NIH lawsuit, AG Jennings was joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Additionally, the District of Columbia joined in the second lawsuit.