A judge temporarily blocks the Department of Health and Human Services from canceling public health grants in 4 Democratic-led states

President Donald Trump’s administration cannot cancel $600 million in public health grants allocated to four Democratic-led states, for now, an Illinois federal judge ruled Thursday.

California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota filed a lawsuit Wednesday to try to block planned funding cuts to programs that track disease outbreaks and study health outcomes for LGBT people and communities of color in major cities.

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah stayed the cuts from taking effect for 14 days, saying in his order that the states “have shown that they will suffer irreparable harm from the agency’s action.” This will keep grant funds flowing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to state and city health departments and their partner organizations while the challenge continues.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said the first batch of grants would have been withdrawn Thursday if a judge had not intervened.

The Department of Health and Human Services said the grants were terminated because they did not reflect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s priorities, which were revised last year to align with the administration’s shift away from health equity, the idea that some populations may need additional support to eliminate health disparities.

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Much of the money has helped cities combat the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, especially among gay and bisexual men, teens and racial minorities.

Federal health officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the judge’s order.

Officials in the four states are some of Trump’s most powerful political opponents and see the cuts as retaliation for his campaign’s opposition to immigration enforcement. All were targets of other federal cuts, including food assistance programs, child care subsidies and electric vehicle infrastructure.

The lawsuit, led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, says the health care cuts violate the Constitution by retroactively imposing conditions on funding already granted by Congress.

“Targeting four Democratic-run states that stand up to his completely unrelated immigration policies is a clear attempt to force us to comply,” Raul said. “The President may be playing politics with critical public health funding, including more than $100 million to Illinois, but it is our residents who are paying the price.”

Prosecutors say the loss of funding will force them to lay off hundreds of public health workers.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said they would seek to extend the judge’s stay for the duration of the case.

Courts have temporarily blocked similar efforts by the Trump administration, including a plan to cut billions in child care subsidies and other programs for low-income families in the four states, plus New York.