Judge blocks funding freeze by USDA over Maine's defiance of transgender sports policy
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture froze funding to Maine over that state's governor refusal to bar boys from girl's sports.
However, the Trump administration was blindsided late last week when a federal judge ordered that the policy be reversed.
Lawsuit accuses White House of "illegally withholding" money that feeds children
According to Breitbart, District Court Judge John Woodcock issued a temporary restraining order on Friday in response to a complaint filed by Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey.
Fray's lawsuit alleges that by freezing funds, the Trump administration is "illegally withholding grant funds that go to keeping children fed."
The controversy arose after Maine Democrat Gov. Janet Mills clashed with President Donald Trump over an executive order which bars biological males from female sports teams.
MUST WATCH: President Trump just decimated Maine’s lawless Governor Janet T. Mills right to her face for refusing to stop men in women’s sports:
“Good. See you in court… enjoy your life after governor. I don’t think you’ll be in elected office.”
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 21, 2025
In response, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter to Mills which warned that she would halt federal funding "for certain administrative and technological functions in schools."
Secretary: "You cannot openly violate federal law against discrimination"
"In order to continue to receive taxpayer dollars from USDA, the state of Maine must demonstrate compliance with Title IX’s protection of female student athletes from having to compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males," Rollins told Mills.
"You cannot openly violate federal law against discrimination in education and expect federal funding to continue unabated," she asserted.
"Your defiance of federal law has cost your state, which is bound by Title IX in educational programming," the secretary continued.
"Today, I am freezing Maine’s federal funds for certain administrative and technological functions in schools," Rollins declared.
Rollins denies that funding freeze will result in children going unfed
"This is only the beginning, though you are free to end it at any time by protecting women and girls in compliance with federal law," Rollins stressed as she drew to a close.
What's more, the secretary disputed Frey's contention that children will go hungry as a result of her decision to freeze funding.
"This pause does not impact federal feeding programs or direct assistance to Mainers; if a child was fed today, they will be fed tomorrow," Rollins wrote.
