A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must immediately lift its freeze on federal funding to Maine, ordering the USDA to release any withheld funds to the state.
The ruling demands that the USDA "must immediately unfreeze and release to the state of Maine any federal funding that they have frozen or failed or refused to pay because of the state of Maine's alleged failure to comply with the requirements of Title IX."
The judge also stated that the administration is “barred from freezing, terminating, or otherwise interfering with the state of Maine’s future federal funding for alleged violations of Title IX without complying with the legally required procedure,” reported Fox News.
This decision comes after the USDA announced a freeze on federal funding to Maine earlier this month. The freeze followed the state’s refusal to comply with President Donald Trump's February executive order that sought to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. Maine’s refusal to adhere to the order put it at odds with the federal government, leading to immense pressure from Washington. Trump had warned in a February 20 speech that the state could lose federal funding if it defied the order.
In response to the freeze, Maine filed a lawsuit against the USDA on Monday. The state argued that the funding being withheld was crucial for providing essential services, including meals for children in schools, childcare centers, and after-school programs, as well as for disabled adults in congregate settings. The judge concurred with this argument, acknowledging that the freeze, though linked to Title IX violations, had "restricted" the ability to "provid[e] meals to children and vulnerable adults."
Maine's relationship with the federal government has been under intense scrutiny, and local leaders are continuing to push back. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) recently called for a resolution of the conflict, stressing her commitment to securing federal funding for the state. While Collins has shown support for the state’s stance on trans athletes in women’s sports, she remains adamant that the issue should be addressed without sacrificing essential services.
The Department of Education has also launched its own investigation into Maine's handling of the issue. The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice last Friday for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports.
This marks the second referral from the Department of Justice concerning Maine’s policies on this issue, following a March 28 referral from the Department of Health and Human Services, which also included the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School.
The controversy surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in Maine schools was brought to light when Maine state Representative Laurel Libby posted on social media about a transgender athlete who won a girls' pole vault competition at Greely High School in February. The post sparked backlash from the state's Democratic leadership, resulting in Libby being censured by Speaker Ryan Fecteau and the Democratic majority. As a result, she has faced restrictions on her ability to carry out legislative actions to serve her constituents.
The ruling demands that the USDA "must immediately unfreeze and release to the state of Maine any federal funding that they have frozen or failed or refused to pay because of the state of Maine's alleged failure to comply with the requirements of Title IX."
The judge also stated that the administration is “barred from freezing, terminating, or otherwise interfering with the state of Maine’s future federal funding for alleged violations of Title IX without complying with the legally required procedure,” reported Fox News.
This decision comes after the USDA announced a freeze on federal funding to Maine earlier this month. The freeze followed the state’s refusal to comply with President Donald Trump's February executive order that sought to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. Maine’s refusal to adhere to the order put it at odds with the federal government, leading to immense pressure from Washington. Trump had warned in a February 20 speech that the state could lose federal funding if it defied the order.
In response to the freeze, Maine filed a lawsuit against the USDA on Monday. The state argued that the funding being withheld was crucial for providing essential services, including meals for children in schools, childcare centers, and after-school programs, as well as for disabled adults in congregate settings. The judge concurred with this argument, acknowledging that the freeze, though linked to Title IX violations, had "restricted" the ability to "provid[e] meals to children and vulnerable adults."
Maine's relationship with the federal government has been under intense scrutiny, and local leaders are continuing to push back. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) recently called for a resolution of the conflict, stressing her commitment to securing federal funding for the state. While Collins has shown support for the state’s stance on trans athletes in women’s sports, she remains adamant that the issue should be addressed without sacrificing essential services.
The Department of Education has also launched its own investigation into Maine's handling of the issue. The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice last Friday for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports.
This marks the second referral from the Department of Justice concerning Maine’s policies on this issue, following a March 28 referral from the Department of Health and Human Services, which also included the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School.
The controversy surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in Maine schools was brought to light when Maine state Representative Laurel Libby posted on social media about a transgender athlete who won a girls' pole vault competition at Greely High School in February. The post sparked backlash from the state's Democratic leadership, resulting in Libby being censured by Speaker Ryan Fecteau and the Democratic majority. As a result, she has faced restrictions on her ability to carry out legislative actions to serve her constituents.
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