Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 15 other attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to halt funding for two electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure grant programs. The suit alleges that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) unlawfully suspended these programs, which were designed to reduce pollution, expand access to clean vehicles, and create green jobs.
The coalition claims that the DOT’s actions violate the constitutional separation of powers because Congress had already approved the funding with bipartisan support. In January, Illinois was awarded $130 million in competitive grants from the DOT to build new EV charging stations throughout the state, including areas such as Chicagoland, Springfield, Metro East, and Quad Cities.
“This is the Trump administration’s latest attempt to ignore a founding principle of our country: that the people’s representatives wield the power of the purse,” Raoul said. “Congress rightfully supported our clean energy transition by investing in electric vehicle infrastructure. I will continue to stand with my fellow attorneys general to fight back against the president’s illegal actions that could cause long-term harm to our communities and our environment.”
According to Raoul and his counterparts, since spring 2025 both new obligations under the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program (CFI) and Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program have been refused by DOT and Federal Highway Administration officials. Both programs were established as part of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2022.
The complaint argues that refusing to spend funds appropriated by Congress for EV infrastructure violates both constitutional principles and federal administrative law. The lawsuit seeks a court order declaring these actions unlawful and preventing further withholding of funds.
Additionally, another IIJA provision allocated $5 billion for a separate National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI). Earlier this year, Attorney General Raoul obtained a preliminary injunction after filing suit when NEVI funds were withheld by federal authorities—a move he argued would hinder Illinois’ target of having one million electric vehicles on its roads by 2030.
Other states joining Illinois in this legal action include Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington; it also includes participation from Pennsylvania’s governor.