Municipalities in Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, and Missouri and Public Sector Union Win Injunction to Prevent Cuts at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Court Declines to Issue Nationwide Relief
Washington, D.C. – A coalition of major municipalities across the nation — including Harris County, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee; and Kansas City, Missouri — and public service workers represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) were granted an injunction today in their challenge to unlawful funding termination by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). That termination would have canceled grants that those municipalities and their public health workforce rely on to protect their constituents from infectious diseases and pandemics.
The injunction will stop the unlawful HHS funding termination, requiring the Department to issue the grants while the case proceeds. The court declined to issue a nationwide injunction, but left open the possibility of extending needed relief later in the case to public health employees across the country.
The municipalities filed suit in April in District Court for the District of Columbia, and the case is Harris County et al. v. Kennedy. Nashville and Davidson County, Kansas City, and Columbus are represented by Democracy Forward and the Public Rights Project. AFSCME is also represented by Democracy Forward. Harris County is represented by Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.
“This ruling is a win for Harris County residents and public health departments across the country. The federal government cannot simply ignore Congress and pull the plug on essential services that communities rely on. Today’s decision ensures we can keep doing the work that protects our residents — from tracking disease outbreaks to providing vaccinations and supporting vulnerable families,” said Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.
“When the executive branch claims virtually unlimited powers, we all rely on the courts to uphold the Constitution. Nashville cannot easily replace the five individuals laid off when the cancellation of the grant was initially announced, but we are grateful to the partners that pushed for this injunction and skillfully articulated why no administration has the authority to rescind grants previously authorized by Congress,” said Metro Nashville’s Director of Law, Wally Dietz.
“We are pleased the judge ruled that it was unlawful and a violation of the Constitution for the administration to rip this critical public health funding from our communities; however, we are disappointed by the decision to only deliver limited relief,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Every tax dollar withheld means fewer staff responding to outbreaks, fewer vaccinations, and greater risk to the public — especially those most vulnerable. But this fight isn’t over. We will continue to push our case forward to ensure public dollars remain invested in public health.”
On March 24, 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unlawfully eliminated congressionally-mandated federal funding designed to keep local governments safe from COVID-19 and from future pandemics. The terminated appropriations provided more than $11 billion worth of federal grants to local municipalities for the vital public health work of identifying, monitoring, and addressing infectious diseases; ensuring access to necessary immunizations, including immunizations for children; and strengthening emergency preparedness to avoid future pandemics.
“This injunction is important for public health,” said Joel McElvain, Senior Legal Advisor at Democracy Forward. “The Trump-Vance administration’s destructive agenda threatens to deprive residents of essential public health services in the midst of continuing dangers posed by COVID-19 and other diseases, including a deadly measles outbreak centered in Texas that has spread to Ohio, Tennessee, and other states across the country. The stakes here are real and immediate, and this injunction reflects that urgency. Democracy Forward is honored to represent this coalition, which is fighting to preserve crucial and lifesaving public health efforts.”
“This case is about stopping federal abuse of power that puts lives at risk,” said Jill Habig, founder and chief executive officer of Public Rights Project. “Local governments rely on this funding to track disease, maintain vaccinations and staff essential health programs. This ruling ensures communities nationwide — not just the ones that sued — can continue to count on these vital services.”
Though the reasoning offered by the Trump administration for canceling the grants was the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the programs canceled were not limited to work on COVID-19, and include work to stop outbreaks of avian flu and measles, two infectious diseases currently spreading in American neighborhoods.
The Democracy Forward legal team working on the matter includes counsel Joel McElvain,
Pooja Boisture, and Skye L. Perryman.
Please find the full complaint here and today’s ruling here.
