Arizona Teams Up to Challenge Trump’s Federal Spending Freeze

Arizona is set to join a coalition of states, including New York, California, and Illinois, in a legal battle against President Donald Trump’s impending federal grant freeze. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office announced the lawsuit, which aims to challenge the freeze scheduled to take effect on Tuesday evening.

State and local officials, along with those dependent on federally funded programs, are seeking clarity on how the payment freeze will affect their operations. The lawsuit is expected to be filed in the Southern District of New York, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes expressed critical concerns through a social media statement, emphasizing the potential fallout: “Children could miss out on school lunches, victims of crime could lose critical assistance, and law enforcement agencies could be defunded across the country if it stands.” He further described the freeze as a “blatant violation of federal law.”

The financial implications of the grant freeze are significant, as revealed by The Pew Charitable Trusts. In fiscal year 2022, the federal government allocated a record $1 trillion in grants to states, which covered 36.4% of their total revenue. According to Rebecca Thiess, this funding is crucial for public services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, especially as states face tighter budgets due to the end of federal pandemic aid and stagnant tax revenues.

Several programs, currently under review by Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, could be temporarily halted, including:

• The Department of Agriculture’s tribal food sovereignty program
• Head Start programs for low-income families
• Veterans’ Affairs Department’s suicide prevention and legal services
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
• Various sexual assault prevention initiatives within the U.S. Department of Justice

Governor Katie Hobbs voiced her disapproval, stating, “This is creating chaos for Veterans, law enforcement, domestic violence shelters, and the children of working families. I will not stand by while everyday people in my state are harmed.”

In Phoenix alone, federal grants constitute $3.255 billion of the city’s budget, with Mayor Kate Gallego highlighting that over $1.6 billion remains outstanding. The police and fire departments could face losses exceeding $35 million due to the freeze.