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Quite a few Queens officers have criticized the Trump administration for introducing a funding freeze for a lot of federal help applications, together with assist to nonprofits, universities, small enterprise loans, and authorities grants.
The federal funding freeze, which was quickly blocked by U.S. District Decide Loren L. AliKhan minutes earlier than going into impact Tuesday night, aimed to quickly pause all actions associated to federal monetary help to evaluation whether or not they conflicted with President Donald Trump’s agenda.
A White Home memo despatched Monday evening directed all federal businesses to evaluate compliance with government orders issued by Trump in his first week in workplace. The memo particularly talked about “DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal.”
“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” the White Home memo mentioned.
The White Home famous that $3 trillion was spent on federal help applications all through 2024.
Monday’s directive, despatched by Workplace of Administration and Finances Performing Director Matthew Vaeth and Nationwide Financial Council Director Kevin Hassett prompted widespread confusion and concern, leaving elected officers not sure about which federal help initiatives can be impacted by the freeze.
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined 153 Home Democrats urging Trump to reveal a full listing of all frozen initiatives, describing the preliminary government order as “vaguely worded” and stating that the follow-up memo has prompted widespread nervousness.
(Picture by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photos)
“This executive order is a source of great anxiety for communities and businesses across the country that use this funding to build new roads, fix bridges, replace lead pipes, expand broadband access, strengthen infrastructure against natural disasters, and much more,” Ocasio-Cortez and different Home Democrats wrote in an open letter to the Trump Administration.
“Work is already underway on tens of thousands of projects in both the public and private sector, but their completion depends on these funds, which were already approved by Congress and enacted into law.”
AliKhan’s order to quickly block the funding freeze capped probably the most chaotic day of Trump’s second time period in workplace up to now, with Democrats describing Trump’s actions as capricious and unlawful. Democrats additional argued that Trump had no energy to freeze funding already appropriated by Congress. The White Home, alternatively, mentioned the freeze was crucial to be able to guarantee authorities spending is in keeping with Trump’s slew of government orders, together with orders to extend fossil gasoline manufacturing and finish variety, fairness and inclusion efforts.
Ocasio-Cortez criticized Trump for the transfer in a put up on X, previously Twitter, accusing the President of holding the nation’s hospitals and important providers “hostage” to be able to “seize power from Congress and hand it over to billionaires”.
“We must state the truth: this is a constitutional crisis. It’s a massive, illegal power grab that the House and Senate have a sworn duty to stop,” Ocasio-Cortez mentioned in a put up on X.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos described the touted funds cuts as “barbaric”, stating that the proposed freeze would go away kids stranded throughout the nation.
She additional described the cuts as an “attack on all of us” and mentioned applications probably impacted by the freeze carry out a significant perform for thousands and thousands of New Yorkers.
“In NYC, Head Start ensures that all kids have access to early education and meals. Without it, teachers don’t get paid. Kids don’t learn. Parents don’t go to work,” Ramos mentioned on X.
An OMB memo issued Tuesday acknowledged that SNAP, scholar loans, Pell Grants, Head Begin, rental help and different related applications wouldn’t be paused throughout the freeze, stating that “any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause”. Nonetheless, quite a few Democrats have expressed skepticism, with Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy stating that the Head Begin program was shut down in Connecticut as of Tuesday afternoon.
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez described the freeze as unlawful and mentioned the cuts would trigger chaos for thousands and thousands of individuals.
“Food for kids, housing for veterans, loans for small businesses, and other critical services are all at risk,” Velazquez mentioned. “This is careless, unlawful, and in complete disregard for working families.”
Meeting Member Jessica González-Rojas mentioned the federal funding freeze was an “all-out assault on Americans”.
“We are experiencing an all-out assault on Americans. Trump has made it abundantly clear that he does not care about the hard-working people living in Queens,” González-Rojas mentioned in an announcement.
She accused Trump of trying to “line the pockets of the extremely wealthy” and mentioned the President is on a “rampage against the poor”.
“In typical Trump style, his directive is unclear and designed to elicit fear. But we can expect that this community, made up of Latinos and Asian communities from countries all over the world will suffer from these budget cuts and games from the White House and Republicans.”
New York Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams issued a joint assertion with Finance Chair Justin Brannan condemning the spending freeze, stating that Trump’s directive has disrupted Medicaid and early childhood training whereas additionally threatening meals help for People. She mentioned the directive is irresponsible and has prompted chaos amongst communities throughout the nation.
“From our students and families to older adults and veterans, this sudden halt of federal aid will further endanger our economy and the health and safety of all New Yorkers,” Adams and Brannan mentioned in a joint assertion.
“This intentionally cruel and incompetent action demands a clear, swift, and coordinated response from the mayoral administration, together with our state and congressional partners and localities throughout the nation, to protect the critical services families depend on.”
Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani, who’s operating within the 2025 mayoral election, additionally known as on Mayor Eric Adams to take motion towards the funding freeze. Mamdani mentioned Trump had “escalated his war on the working class,” stating that the directive would jeopardize applications that pay for varsity meals, vital security inspections, diet for pregnant infants, and assist for homeless veterans.
He additionally criticized the mayor for latest feedback indicating that he wouldn’t criticize Trump publicly.
“While Trump tries to burn down the remaining social safety net on behalf of his billionaire patrons, Eric Adams says he will never criticize the President in public. New York City needs a Mayor who’s a fighter, not a sycophant,” Mamdani mentioned.
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng mentioned the try to freeze funding was each harmful and irresponsible, stating that each the NYPD and FDNY are vulnerable to shedding entry to funding in consequence.
“This directive is literally defunding law enforcement and putting our public safety at risk. A federal judge issued a temporary order late this afternoon halting this sweeping freeze on federal aid and the White House must comply without exception,” Meng mentioned in an announcement Tuesday night.
Decide AliKhan has ordered a brief administrative keep on the federal funding freeze till Monday, with one other courtroom listening to scheduled on Feb. 3 to contemplate the difficulty.
AliKhan issued the executive keep late Tuesday afternoon after the Nationwide Council of Nonprofits sued the federal government earlier within the day, alleging that the funding freeze would irreparably hurt its members. The decide knowledgeable the group of nonprofits that she is ready to vacate the executive keep if they don’t produce passable proof subsequent Monday assembly the usual for a brief restraining order.
