Judge in Rhode Island upholds halt on Trump funding freeze following appeals court ruling

(WJAR) — A federal judge in Rhode Island reaffirmed Wednesday his order halting the Trump administration’s funding freeze.

The new decision from U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell comes after the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston late Tuesday declined to overturn McConnell’s temporary restraining order (TRO) as the Trump administration asked.

More than 20 state attorneys general, co-led by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, sued the Trump administration in January to stop a widespread funding freeze to various programs nationwide.

McConnell first issued a temporary restraining order, putting the freeze on hold, and then a subsequent order Monday directing the Trump administration to abide by his TRO as he found they had violated it.

In his new decision Wednesday, McConnell upholds his TRO and denies the Trump administration’s request to continue withholding “FEMA and other funding.”

McConnell also points out his previous order allows the administration “to limit access to federal funds ‘on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms,’” and that his follow up order does not block “both the President and much of the Federal Government from exercising their own lawful authorities to withhold funding without the prior approval of the district court.”