Court issues second preliminary injunction, stopping Trump administration’s attack on $12 billion in housing, transit and health funding

For Immediate Release: Aug. 12, 2025

Media contact: Jackie Jena, jackie@publicrightsproject.org

The court cited nearly 100 declarations from local governments warning that loss of these critical funds would result in severe and irreversible harm to communities nationwide.

OAKLAND, CA — In a legal victory for local governments across the country, a district court issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from imposing politically motivated conditions on federal funding. The court order extends protection to 29 new jurisdictions that joined the lawsuit in July, bringing the total to 60.

The case, King County v. Turner, challenges extreme restrictions tied to grants administered by the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Transportation (DOT) and Health and Human Services (HHS). To receive these grants, the administration is requiring local governments to follow its policies on immigration enforcement; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); gender equity; and abortion access. The case argues that these conditions are unconstitutional and exceed executive authority because Congress never approved them.

“Today’s decision reaffirms a fundamental principle: federal funding can’t be used as a tool for political coercion,” said Jill Habig, founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “We’re grateful the court recognized the harm being done and acted to ensure local governments can deliver critical resources to their communities.”

Of the $12 billion at risk, HHS grants pay for critical services like HIV prevention, child welfare programs and pandemic readiness. HUD grants help local governments provide affordable housing, support nutrition programs, offer home care for seniors and address health hazards like lead paint. DOT funds are used to improve the safety and efficiency of roads, airports, railways and public transit systems.

In June, a court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from enforcing the contested grant conditions, canceling awarded funds or forcing local governments to formally agree to the conditions in order to receive grants.

The coalition is represented by Public Rights Project (PRP) and Pacifica Law Group, which are serving as co-counsel in the case. The plaintiffs are: 

• Alameda County, Calif.
• Albuquerque, N.M.
• Baltimore, Md.
• Bellevue, Wash.
• Bellingham, Wash.
• Bend, Ore.
• Boston, Mass.
• Bremerton, Wash.
• Cambridge, Mass.
• Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, Wash.
• Chicago, Ill.
• Columbus, Ohio
• Culver City, Calif.
• Culver City Housing Authority, Calif.
• Dane County, Wis.
• Denver, Colo.
• Eugene, Ore.
• Healdsburg, Calif.
• Hennepin County, Minn.
• Intercity Transit, Wash.
• King County, Wash.
• King County Regional Homelessness Authority, Wash.
• Kitsap County, Wash.
• Los Angeles, Calif.
• Milwaukee, Wis.
• Milwaukee County, Wis.
• Minneapolis, Minn.
• Multnomah County, Ore.
• Nashville-Davidson County, Tenn.
• New York City, N.Y.
• Oakland, Calif.
• Pacifica, Calif.
• Pasadena, Calif.
• Petaluma, Calif.
• Pima County, Ariz.
• Pierce County, Wash.
• Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Port of Seattle, Wash.
• Portland, Ore.
• Puget Sound Regional Council, Wash.
• Ramsey County, Minn.
• Rochester, N.Y.
• Rohnert Park, Calif.
• San Diego, Calif.
• San Francisco County, Calif.
• San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Calif.
• San Jose, Calif.
• San Mateo County, Calif.
• Santa Clara County, Calif.
• Santa Monica, Calif.
• Santa Monica Housing Authority, Calif.
• Santa Rosa, Calif.
• Snohomish County, Wash.
• Sonoma County, Calif.
• Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Calif.
• Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency, Calif.
• Tucson, Ariz.
• Watsonville, Calif.
• Wilsonville, Ore.

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Public Rights Project
As a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Public Rights Project helps local government officials fight for civil rights. We do this by building their capacity to protect and advance civil rights, convening and connecting them on issues of civil rights, and providing legal representation to governments to help them win in court on behalf of their residents. Since our founding, we’ve built a network of over 1,300 partners, including elected officials and 227 government offices across all 50 states, and helped recover over $46 million in relief for marginalized people. www.publicrightsproject.org