Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with attorneys general from California, Colorado, Minnesota, and New York, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the decision to freeze $10 billion in federal funding meant for child care and family support. The lawsuit seeks a court order to stop the freeze and ensure continued aid for families.
“At a time when families are struggling with basic costs of living, the Trump administration’s arbitrary move to withhold this funding is particularly callous,” Raoul said. “Congress enacted this critical funding to support families and help working parents access child care, and the president does not have the authority to withhold it in this way. This move comes with zero justification, and in the administration’s own words, targets only Democrat-led states. This unlawful action will hurt families and harm state economies. I am filing this lawsuit today to stop it.”
Dulce M. Quintero, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, added: “Our commitment to children, their families, and their care givers and educators is unwavering. We will not shrink in the face of yet another attempt by the Trump Administration to unravel human services and the social safety net. We thank Attorney General Kwame Raoul for once again stepping in to protect the well-being of those who most depend on the support we provide.”
On January 6th, letters from the Trump administration were sent to Illinois and other plaintiff states indicating an immediate freeze on federal funds under programs such as Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). The letters required Illinois to provide extensive documentation within two weeks—including personal information about millions of residents—to avoid or reverse the freeze.
The lawsuit argues that meeting these demands is impossible within such a short timeframe and alleges that this request is intended as a pretext for withholding funds from states led by Democrats. According to Raoul’s office, approximately $1 billion in federal funding for Illinois is at risk—funds that support over 150,000 children with child care assistance as well as temporary cash aid for needy families.
Raoul and his counterparts contend that even a brief disruption could severely impact families’ economic stability and state economies overall. They argue that freezing these funds exceeds executive authority under both administrative law and constitutional provisions.
The Illinois Attorney General serves as the primary legal authority in Illinois by upholding laws and providing services such as complaint handling for consumer fraud or civil rights issues across multiple offices statewide. The office also offers resources for vulnerable groups while promoting community safety (official website). The Attorney General’s work includes advocacy for workers, immigrants, seniors (official website), protection efforts throughout Illinois communities (official website), partnership with law enforcement agencies (official website), legal representation statewide (official website), operating main offices in Chicago, Springfield, Carbondale (official website), promoting safer communities (official website), advocating on environmental issues (official website), handling thousands of consumer complaints annually (official website), offering complaint filing services (official website), all aimed at supporting residents’ rights.