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AG Nessel Releases Statement on First Circuit Decision Upholding Decision Blocking Trump Administration from Withholding Critical Federal Funding
March 17, 2026
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today released the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit largely upheld a lower court order blocking the Trump administration’s illegal effort to categorically block trillions of dollars in essential federal funding to states (PDF):
“Blocking these critical federal funds would have harmed millions of Michigan residents who rely on essential federal programs like Medicaid and Head Start. I am relieved that another court ruled this directive unconstitutional and recognized that it undermines the wellbeing and safety of the people across the country. I remain committed to defending the rights of Michiganders and the rule of law, including holding the federal government accountable for unprecedented and unlawful attacks on congressionally funded federal programs.”
In January 2025, Attorney General Nessel joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general in suing to stop the implementation of a federal policy that would have categorically withheld trillions of dollars in essential funding, impacting a vast array of important public services that states provide. In March 2025, Attorney General Nessel won a preliminary injunction blocking the policy, and yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit largely affirmed that order.
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