California Attorney General Rob Bonta applauded Tuesday’s decision by a federal judge to grant a preliminary injunction halting President Donald Trump’s dismantling of several federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The order from U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island also temporarily stopped actions affecting the Minority Business Development Agency and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service while litigation continues.
Local librarians have said California gets anywhere from $16 million to $20 million a year in local grants from IMLS, which provides more than $200 million annually for local libraries in all 50 states.
On April 4, Bonta and 20 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging what they said was the administration’s unlawful executive order directing several congressionally established agencies to eliminate “every component and function not required by statute and reduce their statutorily required functions and associated staff to the minimum required by law,” Bonta’s office said in a statement.
Trump’s order also directed the Office of Management and Budget to deny these agencies authorization to spend federal funds already allocated by Congress for any functions beyond the minimum required by statute.
“The Trump Administration is attempting to dismantle critical federal agencies without any consideration for the Americans that rely on the programs and services these agencies provide,” Bonta said in a statement Tuesday. “It’s not just damaging — it’s also illegal. I am pleased with this latest decision by a court blocking the president’s unlawful actions, and I look forward to continuing to make our case in court.”