BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s new policy withholding trillions of dollars in federal funding from states. The lawsuit aims to prevent the implementation of the policy, which was issued late on January 27th by the President’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The policy, which was slated to take effect at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, puts an indefinite pause on most federal assistance funding and loans to states and other entities. This includes funding for critical programs such as healthcare, childcare, public schools, disaster relief, and law enforcement initiatives.
Minutes before the directive from Trump’s budget office was to take effect Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan blocked the Trump administration from implementing it for now, ruling that the courts need more time to consider the potentially far-reaching ramifications of his order. Further arguments will be held on Monday morning.
Attorney General Brown emphasized the severe impact this policy would have on Maryland residents, particularly the most vulnerable populations who rely on these programs for essential services like early childhood education, healthcare, and housing. He stated that the freeze would jeopardize the ability of his office to combat Medicaid fraud, protect vulnerable Marylanders, and ensure affordable food prices.
The coalition argues that the OMB policy is unconstitutional and violates the Administrative Procedure Act by imposing a government-wide spending freeze without regard to existing laws and regulations governing federal funding. They assert that the President cannot unilaterally override laws passed by Congress concerning federal spending.
The lawsuit specifically highlights the potential dangers of jeopardizing funding for law enforcement, disaster relief, and essential health services. The coalition argues that pausing support for initiatives combatting hate crimes and violence against women, supporting community policing, and providing victim services puts Americans at risk. Furthermore, withholding disaster relief funds from states like California and North Carolina, which are still reeling from wildfires and floods, could have dire consequences. The policy also puts at risk essential community health centers, addiction and mental health treatment programs, services for people with disabilities, and other critical health services.
As of now, states have reported that funds have already been frozen, causing immediate chaos and uncertainty for millions of Americans. The coalition of attorneys general seeks a court order to halt enforcement of the OMB policy and preserve essential funding.
In filing the lawsuit, Attorney General Brown joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has issued the following statement regarding the federal funding freeze announced by the Trump-Vance Administration:
“We are still evaluating what, exactly, this ideological freeze would mean for our state and our people in the long-run. But one thing is already clear: These irresponsible actions and conflicting directives from the White House have caused unnecessary confusion, fear amongst Marylanders, and instability in our economy.
“The Trump-Vance Administration is trying to hold back money that has already been approved by Congress. These actions could potentially cost jobs, raise prices, and stifle economic growth in Maryland. What’s more, these resources are intended for programs at places like Maryland schools, Maryland hospitals, and Maryland nonprofits – touching our first responders, seniors, and Marylanders from the Western Mountains to the Eastern Shore and everywhere in between.”
“This is not what responsible government looks like – it’s chaos.”
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via Chris Montcalmo Photography
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