The Trump administration unveiled an Office of Management and Budget memo on Jan. 27 ordering a pause on federal funds and grants. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)
The motion filed Monday asserts that states have provided evidence that there are still instances where the federal government has "improperly" frozen funds and failed to distribute appropriated federal funds.
While the motion says the Trump administration claims these actions were done to "root out" fraud, McConnell said that 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," the judge wrote on Monday.
LEAVITT PUSHES BACK ON MEDIA'S ‘UNCERTAINTY’ ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Jan. 31, 2025, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)
McConnell said in his original order that evidence suggested the White House's rescission of the OMB memo may have been done in "name-only" in order to "defeat the jurisdiction of the court."
As a result, McConnell said Monday that the Trump administration must "immediately restore frozen funding" until the court hears and decides the preliminary injunction request.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha praised McConnell’s ruling and said the order "confirmed what we have been saying from the beginning."
"It is now time for the Administration to come into full compliance," Neronha said in a statement Monday. "This is a country of laws. We expect the Administration to follow the law. Our Office and attorneys general across the country stand ready to keep careful watch on the actions of this Administration that follow, and we will not hesitate to go back to Court if they don’t comply."
Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-administration-appeals-federal-judges-order-unfreeze-federal-funds