California and Six States Sue Trump Over $810 Million Funding Cut

California and six other states filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Northern District of California against the Trump administration for unilaterally withholding $810 million in federal funding. The states allege the administration employed a technique known as pocket rescission to defund programs focused on immigration, education, and race, thereby bypassing the constitutional spending authority of Congress.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta argues the action violates the separation of powers, appropriations, and presentment clauses of the Constitution. The lawsuit claims the administration strategically timed the funding request to coincide with the September 30 fiscal year deadline to prevent Congress from intervening.

The White House defended the funding cuts, asserting that the targeted programs promoted alarmist environmental views, stoked racial tensions, and supported illegal immigration.