By Miriam Raftery

April 7, 2025 (Oakland, CA)—California Attorney General Rob Bonta has scored a keyvictory in federal court. Trump-appointed judge,  Mary McElroy, issued a temporary restraining order to stop the Trump administration from clawing back over $11 billion in public health funding from state and local health departments. California stands to lose over $972 million, according to Bonta.

The action came in a lawsuit led by Bonta, joined by 23 states and the District of Columbia. The suit was filed against the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and its director, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

“The likelihood of success on the merits is extremely strong,” Judge McElroy stated after a hearing. She stated that the record is “voluminous” with “allegations of irreparable harm” if funding stops.