A Manhattan federal judge has issued an order preventing the Trump administration from halting over $1.1 billion in pandemic-era education funding that was yet to be used by U.S. public schools.
Judge Edgardo Ramos granted a preliminary injunction against Education Secretary Linda McMahon, temporarily blocking the government from pulling back the unspent funds from the American Rescue Plan Act while litigation is ongoing.
The legal challenge, initiated on April 10, was filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James along with attorneys general from 14 other states, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. All those involved in the suit are affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Roughly $190 billion had been allocated by the federal government to help K-12 institutions bounce back from the impact of COVID-19, with the funding designated for services such as student tutoring, improved school facilities, and food assistance for homeless children.
Under the Biden administration, the deadline to utilize this money had been pushed to March 2026, giving schools more time to implement recovery measures.
However, in a letter dated March 28, McMahon — who was appointed to her position under President Donald Trump — claimed that the states had had more than enough time to use the funds. She wrote that extending the timeline further “was inconsistent with the department’s priorities.”
Attorneys from the Justice Department and Secretary McMahon’s office contended that reclaiming the funds would benefit the public, arguing that the health crisis which prompted the spending had ended and the funds should not sit idle.
Neither the Education Department nor the Department of Justice responded to media inquiries seeking comments on the matter.
President Trump, who took office in January after defeating Biden, has made deep cuts to federal expenditures and has promised to dismantle the Department of Education.
Reacting to the judge’s ruling, Attorney General James said, “a major win for our students and teachers who are counting on this funding to help them succeed.”
Of the states involved, New York still held $134.2 million in unused aid, while Maryland topped the list with $245.9 million remaining.
Other states that joined the lawsuit include Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, and Oregon.
{Matzav.com}