A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order to stop the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from implementing cuts to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants in Minnesota, California, Colorado, and Illinois. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and attorneys general from the other three states.
Attorney General Ellison stated, “I’m pleased to have won a temporary stop to the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to slash millions in public health funding to Minnesota. It should go without saying, but the president is supposed to represent and serve all Americans, and it is unspeakably tragic that President Trump has instead decided to deliberately inflict pain and suffering on Minnesotans. As long as President Trump’s campaign of revenge and retribution goes on, I will do everything in my power to protect the people of Minnesota from his lawless actions.”
The lawsuit was filed after the OMB directed agencies to cut more than $600 million in CDC grants across four states. In Minnesota alone, over $42 million already awarded would have been reclaimed if the directive proceeded. These funds support disease tracking, data system improvements, and basic public health data collection needed by the CDC. The cuts would also have led to layoffs of hundreds of trained public health professionals.
The temporary restraining order is set for 14 days while Attorney General Ellison seeks a preliminary injunction for longer protection during ongoing litigation. On February 9, the Department of Health and Human Services notified Congress about its plan to end CDC grant funding in these states without providing specific reasons.
According to the complaint filed by Ellison and others, OMB’s directive violates both constitutional principles and administrative law because it is arbitrary, capricious, and exceeds statutory authority.
One major grant at risk was the Public Health Infrastructure Block Grant (PHIG), which operates nationwide. In Minnesota specifically, PHIG funds 57 positions at the Department of Health involved with outreach programs in rural areas, disease tracking efforts, emergency preparedness training, among other initiatives. It also partially supports about 200 Community Health Board roles across the state—including public health nurses who provide direct care.
