RI judge orders Trump administration to restore frozen funds. What we know.

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PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island judge on Monday ordered the federal government to comply with a court-issued directive halting a freeze on funding that organizations have complained is hamstringing vital work.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered President Trump’s administration to immediately restore frozen funding and to halt any pauses in disbursement of congressionally authorized grants. He warned the government to comply or risk being found in criminal contempt.

McConnell’s order came in response to an emergency motion filed Friday by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and other states seeking enforcement of a restraining order the court issued Jan. 31 blocking Trump's federal spending freeze “indefinitely.” A hearing on extending that injunction will be held before McConnell in the coming weeks.

Hours after McConnell's ruling, the Trump administration filed notice that it is appealing the temporary restraining order issued Jan. 31 as well as Monday's order demanding compliance.

`Jobs, lives, and the social fabric of life' at risk

Organizations have reported that funding continued to be blocked despite restraining orders from at least two federal courts − including U.S. District Court in Providence.

"Jobs, lives, and the social fabric of life in the plaintiff states are at risk from the disruptions and uncertainty that have continued now a full week after entry of the order," the states argued.

The government filed opposition to states’ motion Sunday, faulting McConnell's restraining order as vague and stating that it had made good-faith efforts to remain in compliance.

McConnell rejected the government’s arguments Monday, finding the states had presented evidence that the government had continued “to improperly freeze federal funds and refused to resume disbursement of appropriated federal funds.”

“The defendants now plea that they are just trying to root out fraud. But the freezes in effect now were a result of the broad categorical order, not a specific finding of possible fraud. The broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country. These pauses in funding violate the plain text of the TRO,” McConnell wrote.

He ordered that the government "must resume the funding of institutes and other agencies," citing the National Institute for Health in particular.

McConnell directed the government to request “targeted relief” from the restraining order, if necessary.

Attorneys general vow vigilance

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, one of the leads in the states’ challenge to the sweeping funding freeze,  hailed the order.

“Judge McConnell’s ruling in our favor was swift, and unsurprising. As the court noted, the ‘broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country,’ and that ‘these pauses in funding violate the plain text of the TRO,’” Neronha said in a statement.

“Judge McConnell’s order confirmed what we have been saying from the beginning. It is now time for the Administration to come into full compliance. This is a country of laws. We expect the Administration to follow the law,” he continued.

 He pledged that his office and attorneys general across the country “stand ready to keep careful watch on the actions” of the Trump administration that follow and will not hesitate to seek court intervention.

How did we get here?

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget last month ordered a freeze of all federal spending until agencies could ensure it was consistent with Trump's priorities described in a series of executive orders signed immediately after he took office.

Twenty-three Democratic attorneys general, including Neronha, sued to halt the freeze, arguing that the Trump administration was unlawfully stopping spending authorized by Congress, resulting in potentially dire consequences. The six states leading the legal challenge decided to bring the case in U.S. District Court in Providence.

McConnell granted the temporary restraining order in a strongly-worded decision, citing the executive branch's "duty to align federal spending and action with the will of the people as expressed through congressional appropriations, not through 'Presidential priorities.'”

The judge said the spending freeze "threaten[s] the states’ ability to conduct essential activities," and directed the administration to not "pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate" federal financial assistance or "impede the states’ access to such awards and obligations."

This story has been updated with new information.