Attorney General Phil Weiser secures court order blocking Trump administration’s illegal federal funding freeze

March 6, 2025 (DENVER) – Under an order (PDF download) won by Attorney General Phil Weiser and a multistate coalition of attorneys general, a federal judge is forcing the Trump administration to release critical federal funds, in particular funds for emergency management. In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell, Jr. also ordered the administration to provide evidence to the court by March 14 that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds frozen by the administration in January have been released.

“I’m pleased that the court agreed with us that the Trump administration’s orders freezing federal funds, which have caused chaos in Colorado and across the country, must be restored,” Weiser said. “Unilateral cuts to everything from lifesaving health care to resources for firefighters would be devastating for our state, and I will continue to do everything in my power to stop these reckless, illegal acts. As evidenced by this ruling, the law is on our side.”

The administration’s funding freeze policy, issued through an array of actions, including a January 27 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget, illegally withheld trillions of dollars in federal funds for states and other entities like community health centers and schools. The policy caused immediate chaos and uncertainty for the millions of Coloradans and other Americans who rely on state programs that receive these federal funds.

In the ruling, Judge McConnell made clear that the administration’s actions were unconstitutional. “The Executive’s categorical freeze of appropriated and obligated funds fundamentally undermines the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of our government. The interaction of the three co-equal branches of government is an intricate, delicate, and sophisticated balance—but it is crucial to our form of constitutional governance. Here, the Executive put itself above Congress,” he wrote.

Weiser and the coalition of attorneys general sued the administration over the freeze on January 28, and on January 31, the court granted the attorneys general’s request blocking the freeze’s implementation until further order from the court. On February 7, Weiser and the coalition filed additional motions to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding that families, communities, and states rely on, which was granted by the court the next day. On February 28, Weiser and the other attorneys general sued again to stop the Trump administration from freezing hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to the states from FEMA.

In addition to Weiser, joining the lawsuit are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office | (720) 245-4689 cell
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov