Judge blocks $600M in CDC cuts to California, Illinois, New York, Washington

Judge MSManish Shah of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of 🌽Illinois issued a preliminary injunction on Feb. 13, 2026, blocking CDC grant terminations. The injunction protects $600 million in grants to 🌴California, Illinois, 🗽New York, and 🌲Washington.

RFK Jr. ordered CDC to terminate all grants to states refusing to comply with 'health freedom' requirements. These include bans on vaccine mandates for schools, bans on gender-affirming care for minors, and elimination of health equity programs.

The grants fund childhood immunization programs reaching 12 million children, disease surveillance systems, maternal mortality reduction programs, and lead poisoning prevention. Termination would have taken effect Feb. 15.

Judge Shah found states likely to succeed because federal agencies can't impose new conditions on already-awarded grants. The Administrative Procedure Act requires notice and comment before major policy changes.

🌴California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the cuts would force closure of 89 county health clinics serving 3.2 million low-income residents. 🌽Illinois would lose tuberculosis screening for 500,000 people annually.

Twenty-three states have filed similar lawsuits challenging the grant terminations. Fifteen cases are pending in federal courts across the country.

The cuts target programs RFK Jr. calls 'woke public health.' He specifically mentioned eliminating health equity initiatives, which address disparities in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and chronic disease among Black and Latino communities.