Attorney General Ellison files lawsuit over Trump administration’s unlawful directive to cut more than $42 million in federal public health grants for Minnesota

Funding cuts target just four states, including Minnesota, and total over $600 million

February 11, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Attorney General Ellison today joined attorneys general from California, Colorado, and Illinois in suing the Trump administration over the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) directive to unlawfully cut more than $600 million in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants, based on its disagreements with policies in those states. The unlawful directive would claw back over $42 million in grants already awarded to the state of Minnesota, with more threatened cuts to come.

Attorney General Ellison and the coalition explain in their lawsuit that the critical grant funding, which could be terminated as soon as Feb. 12, allows states to track disease outbreaks, maintain and improve their data systems, and collect basic public health data the CDC relies upon. These funding cuts would also force states to lay off hundreds of trained public health professionals.

"Once again, the Trump administration is unlawfully trying to stop our own tax dollars from coming back to Minnesota to improve health and well-being across our state,” said Attorney General Ellison. “These cuts only serve to continue Donald Trump’s campaign of revenge and retribution against the people of Minnesota, so I’m suing Trump to block them. Minnesotans can rest assured that I will do everything in my power to protect our state from the president’s efforts to inflict pain and suffering on the people he is supposed to serve.”

On Feb. 9, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notified Congress of its intent to terminate CDC grant funding in those four states without providing any specific reasons. Cuts to Minnesota’s critical public health infrastructure programs alone exceed $42 million. In their complaint, Attorney General Ellison and the coalition allege that OMB’s directive commanding agencies to cut funding, along with its implementation, violates the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act because it is arbitrary and capricious and exceeds the agencies’ statutory authority.    

The largest grant targeted in this federal directive is the Public Health Infrastructure Block Grant (PHIG), which operates in all 50 states and funds both critical short-term infrastructure, workforce needs and long-lasting strategic investment. For example, in Minnesota, the PHIG fully or partially funds 57 Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) staff who handle a variety of important projects, ranging from public health outreach to rural Minnesota, disease tracking, emergency preparedness training and planning, and much more. PHIG also provide at least partial funding for approximately 200 Community Health Board positions across Minnesota. These positions include public health nurses directly responsible for the care and well-being of Minnesotans.

Attorney General Ellison and the attorneys general have asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order and prohibit the implementation or enforcement of the unlawful directive.