Judge Blocks Trump Administration Attempt to Freeze $21 Billion in Child Care Funding

A federal judge in Washington D.C. has blocked the Trump administration's attempt to freeze $21 billion in child care and education funding that was approved by Congress, delivering a significant victory to states, childcare providers, and families who depend on these programs.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued a temporary restraining order late Tuesday, preventing the administration from withholding funds allocated through the Child Care and Development Block Grant and other education programs. The ruling comes just days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, when the funding was set to be distributed to states.

The administration had argued that the funds could be used for other purposes and that the spending was not mandatory. However, Judge Sullivan found that the government failed to provide any legal justification for withholding money that Congress had explicitly appropriated. The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The frozen funds include $15 billion for child care assistance through the Child Care and Development Block Grant, which helps low-income families afford childcare so parents can work or attend school. An additional $6 billion in education grants would also have been held back, affecting programs for K-12 schools and teacher training.

Childcare providers across the country had warned that losing this funding would force closures and layoffs at a time when the industry is already struggling due to the pandemic. The National Association for the Education of Young Children reported that without these funds, an estimated 4 million children could lose access to subsidized care.

State officials from both parties had joined legal efforts to block the freeze. Attorneys general from 20 states argued that their budgets had already been planned around receiving these funds, and that withholding them would create immediate crises in their childcare systems. The lawsuit was filed by the Center for American Progress and several childcare advocacy groups.

The judge's order requires the administration to release the funds to states by January 19th, just one day before the presidential inauguration. The temporary restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days unless extended by the court. Legal experts expect the incoming Biden administration to permanently reverse the funding freeze once in office.

This ruling represents one of several last-minute legal challenges to the Trump administration's attempts to redirect or block congressionally approved spending in its final weeks in office. Similar disputes have occurred over military funding for border wall construction and foreign aid appropriations.