California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with his counterparts from Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleged the cuts are politically motivated and violate federal law, the California Department of Justice announced.
As the cuts were designed to target funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California actually faced the largest reduction — some 180 million dollars in total, including 130 million dollars from the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) alone.
The lawsuit claimed violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs federal agency decision-making and constitutional protections. The four states argued the funding termination singled out jurisdictions based on partisan politics rather than program goals.
The states contended that the cuts are selective because PHIG operates in all 50 U.S. states, with 107 health departments nationwide receiving funding, yet only these four states are having PHIG funds canceled, the Minnesota Department of Health stated.
The administration justified the decision by saying the grants do not align with current agency priorities, according to local news outlets. Officials cited concerns about state management practices and certain program focuses.
“President Trump is resorting to a familiar playbook. He is using federal funding to compel states and jurisdictions to follow his agenda,” said Bonta, adding that the administration’s “efforts have all previously failed.”
During Trump’s first term, courts blocked similar attempts to withhold funds from so-called sanctuary cities. A 2017 federal court ruling found such executive actions violated constitutional limits on federal power.
The terminated funds support disease surveillance, infectious disease control, emergency preparedness and laboratory capacity. Minnesota confirmed its PHIG grant termination took effect on Wednesday, creating immediate disruptions to health programs.
The states have requested a temporary restraining order to maintain funding while the lawsuit proceeds.
