Federal Judge Halts Trump HHS Move to Rescind $600M in CDC Grants to Four States
A federal judge temporarily blocked HHS from rescinding public-health grants to four Democratic-led states, pausing an administration effort tied to roughly $600 million in CDC funding. Separately, courts have pushed back on other Trump administration moves — one judge even invoked George Orwell when rejecting an attempt to erase the history of slavery in Philadelphia — signaling broader judicial resistance to such actions.
📌 Key Facts
- Judge Manish Shah issued a 14‑day TRO on Feb. 13, 2026, stopping HHS from cutting about $600 million in CDC grants to California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota.
- The grants fund disease‑outbreak tracking and HIV/STD and health‑equity programs serving LGBTQ+ people, adolescents and communities of color in major cities.
- The four states’ lawsuit, led by Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, alleges the rescission is unconstitutional retroactive conditioning of congressionally awarded funds and political retaliation tied to their opposition to Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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February 17, 2026
February 13, 2026