The state scored short-term legal victories on Tuesday when a Rhode Island District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the dismantling of three federal agencies that support public libraries, museums and minority-owned businesses. Another federal judge in the Southern District of New York put a halt to the Trump administration’s attempt to cancel more than $1 billion in unspent pandemic relief funding.

What You Need To Know

  • Hawaii was one of 22 states that filed suit alleging that President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Minority Business Development Agency and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service violated the Administrative Procedure Act by overriding Congress’ authority to decide how federal funds are spent and oversteps Constitutional limits by attempting to shutter agencies that Congress lawfully established and funded
  • IMLS, which supports museums and libraries via grant making, research and policy development, placed almost its entire staff on administrative leave and was poised to cut hundreds of grants for state libraries and museums
  • FMCS also announced the termination of several of its core programs due to Trump’s order. The service, which helps to resolve labor disputes, mediated a contract dispute between Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children and the Hawaii Nurses’ Association last year, helping to end a two-week lockout and facilitating a new labor pact
  • Also on Tuesday, SDNY District Judge Edgardo Ramos issued an injunction preventing the Trump administration from canceling more than $1 billion in K-12 education funding for states that had not yet spent the balance of remaining pandemic relief funds they had received

Hawaii was one of 22 states that filed suit alleging that President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Minority Business Development Agency and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service violated the Administrative Procedure Act by overriding Congress’ authority to decide how federal funds are spent and oversteps Constitutional limits by attempting to shutter agencies that Congress lawfully established and funded.

The executive order, issued March 14, states that its purpose is to continue "the reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary." 

On Tuesday, Chief Judge John McConnell found that the plaintiffs had established a strong likelihood of success on their claims and issued the injunction. 

“IMLS, MBDA and FMCS provide critical services across the country,” said special assistant to the attorney general Dave Day and solicitor general Kalikoonalani Fernandes in a joint statement released shortly after the decision. “Today’s order recognizes that the dismantling of these agencies is inconsistent with the ‘unshakable principles’ at the heart of our system of government.” 

The state Department of the Attorney General noted that Trump’s order, issued last month, has already resulted in significant fallout. IMLS, which supports museums and libraries via grant making, research and policy development, placed almost its entire staff on administrative leave and was poised to cut hundreds of grants for state libraries and museums.

Last year, IMLS provided $180 million in support to libraries across the county through its Grants to States Program. Hawaii received $1.5 million to help support public access to the internet, online education resources and staff skill development. The program also continued to provide data and grants that support projects that collect, digitize and make available Native Hawaiian collections.

“We appreciate today’s court order,” said Stacey Aldrich, state librarian for the Hawaii State Public Library System. “IMLS is a vital agency for ensuring that America can be great through strong libraries, which represent the best of who we are as communities and as a nation.”

FMCS also announced the termination of several of its core programs due to Trump’s order. The service, which helps to resolve labor disputes, mediated a contract dispute between Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children and the Hawaii Nurses’ Association last year, helping to end a two-week lockout and facilitating a new labor pact.

Also on Tuesday, SDNY District Judge Edgardo Ramos issued an injunction preventing the Trump administration from canceling more than $1 billion in K-12 education funding for more than a dozen states that had not yet spent the balance of remaining pandemic relief funds they had received.

In March, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon informed states that had not spent their remaining relief funds, including those that had already been granted extensions, that the deadline to use the funds was to expire that same day.

“By failing to meet the clear deadline in the regulation, you ran the risk that the Department would deny your extension request,” McMahon wrote in a letter to state education officials. “Extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.”

Sixteen states, including Hawaii, and the District of Columbia filed suit to prevent the department from terminating the funding.

Under Ramos’ order, the department is prohibited from canceling previously authorized extensions the plaintiff states until a final ruling on the case or until a subsequent court order. The department is also enjoined from modifying extensions without providing at least 14 days notice.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.