Federal judge blocks Trump administration's freeze of $10 billion in child-care funds

Federal judge blocks Trump administration’s freeze of $10 billion in child-care funds Click here to listen to this article Share via About $1.4 billion in federal child care-funding for California was frozen by the federal government. An attorney for the states said withholding funding would cause chaos by depriving families who rely on it. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday. A federal judge in New York has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s move to freeze $10 billion in child-care funds in five Democrat-led states including California. The ruling Friday afternoon capped a tumultuous stretch that began earlier this week when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told California officials and those in Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York that it would freeze federal funding over fraud concerns. On Thursday the states sued the administration in federal court in Manhattan. The states sought a temporary restraining order, asking the court to block the funding freeze and the administration’s demands for large volumes of administrative data. An attorney for the states argued Friday morning that there was an immediate need for funding - and that withholding it would cause chaos by depriving families of their ability to pay for child care, and would harm child-care providers who would lose income. In a brief ruling, Judge Arun Subramanian said that “good cause has been shown for the issuance of a temporary restraining order.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The federal government’s effort has been viewed as a broad attack on social services in California, and jolted tens of thousands of working families and the state’s child-care industry. Providers told The Times that the funding freeze could imperil child-care centers, many of which operate on slim margins. “The underscoring issue is that child care and these other federally funded social services programs are major family supports,” said Nina Buthee, executive director of EveryChild California. “They are essential infrastructure that our communities need and depend on, and should not be political tools. So the fact that this judge went in and blocked this very dramatic freeze, I think is only a good thing.” Five states including California that are targeted by a funding freeze are suing the Trump administration, which alleges widespread fraud in the states’ welfare systems. In a trio of Jan. 6 letters addressed to Gov. Gavin Newsom, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was concerned there had been “potential for extensive and systemic fraud” in child care and other social services programs that rely on federal funding, and had “reason to believe” that the state was “illicitly providing illegal aliens” with benefits. The letters did not provide evidence to support the claims. State officials have said the suggestions of fraud are unsubstantiated. Newsom has said he welcomes any fraud investigations the federal government might conduct, but said cutting off funding hurts families who rely on the aid. According to the state Legislative Analyst’s Office, about $1.4...

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