Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Mar. 13 that a federal judge granted his motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the federal government from halting more than $600 million in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants to several states, including Illinois.
The decision is significant because it ensures continued funding for essential public health programs, which support hundreds of nurses, disease detectives, and other workers. The ruling follows a lawsuit led by Raoul and attorneys general from California, Colorado, and Minnesota against the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget directive that sought to cut these funds due to policy disagreements with the states.
“Thanks to the order we secured, hundreds of nurses, disease detectives and other essential public health workers will keep their jobs as we fight the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to terminate more than $600 million in health-related funding. This preliminary injunction means Illinois will continue to receive more than $100 million in CDC grant funding that protects Illinois children from lead poisoning, as well as testing for and treatments of HIV. This funding also allows Illinois and other states to track disease outbreaks, maintain and improve data systems, and collect basic public health data the CDC relies on,” Raoul said.
Raoul further stated: “The Trump administration tried to cut the funding to punish Illinois and the other three Democrat-run states for standing up to the president’s unrelated immigration policies. However, we will not be bullied into compliance. When the Trump administration tried to hold Illinoisans’ health hostage to the president’s unlawful demands, we fought back — and this order keeps this critical funding flowing while we continue the fight. I stand committed to defending against the Trump administration’s continued unlawful directives intended to force us to implement immigration and other unrelated policies.”
According to the official website, the Illinois Attorney General advocates for vulnerable groups such as workers, immigrants, and seniors across Illinois. The office handles thousands of consumer complaints each year while aiming to protect consumers, promote safer communities, advocate for environmental issues, civil rights matters, and partners with law enforcement agencies in support of crime victims and open government initiatives. Services offered include complaint filing related to consumer fraud or civil rights violations.
The broader impact of this injunction is that it maintains vital resources for state-level public health efforts while legal proceedings continue regarding whether federal agencies exceeded their authority under constitutional or administrative law.
