Judge blocks Trump from barring illegal immigrants from Head Start program
A federal judge has blocked the Trump governance’s policy that would have restricted illegal immigrants from enrolling in the federally funded Head Start preschool program nationwide. Judge Ricardo Martinez of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not follow the proper rulemaking procedures when rescinding a 1998 interpretation that allowed such enrollment. The revoked policy aimed to protect resources for American citizens, as stated by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Martinez issued a nationwide injunction against the restriction, emphasizing the negative impact on families who could lose childcare support, perhaps leading to missed work and financial hardship. Despite a Supreme Court decision limiting nationwide injunctions, the judge justified the broad scope due to the interstate nature of Head Start programs and the needs of migrant families.
This case represents one of the few worldwide injunctions issued against the Trump administration following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. CASA and reflects ongoing judicial resistance at district court levels, especially in circuits with more liberal benches. While opponents have had successes blocking some Trump policies, higher courts have occasionally overturned these injunctions, as seen in a recent appeals court decision lifting a block on defunding Planned Parenthood under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Judge blocks Trump administration from restricting illegal immigrants from Head Start program
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration on Thursday from carrying out a policy that restricts illegal immigrants from being enrolled in the federally funded Head Start preschool program nationwide.
Judge Ricardo Martinez of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington blocked a July directive from the Department of Health and Human Services, which rescinded a 1998 interpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 that allowed illegal immigrants to be enrolled in the Head Start program. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at the time that the decision restored integrity to social programs and protected “vital resources for the American people.”
Martinez, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, said in his ruling that HHS did not go through the proper rulemaking process when restricting eligibility of the federally funded program. He said the change “results in parents losing childcare, risking missed work, unemployment, forced dropouts, and inability to pay life expenses and support families.”
The judge also issued a nationwide injunction of the order, despite the Supreme Court’s June decision in Trump v. CASA significantly restricting such actions by district courts to limited instances. Martinez argued that the state Head Start associations, which filed the lawsuit, required a more sweeping injunction.
“Regarding scope, while the general rule is to limit relief to named plaintiffs, the Court finds this impractical here. Plaintiff HSA Members provide Head Start programs that cross state lines, including states that are not parties to this case, and children of migrant and seasonal workers need assurance of access when relocating. Due to mass layoffs and closures, agencies’ access to available regional offices could be widespread and inconsistent,” the ruling said.
The sweeping injunction entered by Martinez marks the latest instance of a federal district court blocking a Trump administration order, and one of the few instances where a universal injunction has been entered against the administration post-CASA.
APPEALS COURT LIFTS BLOCK OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD DEFUNDING IN ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT
The Trump administration has seen many losses at district courts with generally left-leaning benches, such as the Western District of Washington. However, it has been more successful in higher courts at undoing injunctions. Other popular jurisdictions where opponents of the administration have filed lawsuits to block President Donald Trump’s actions include the District of Massachusetts and the Northern District of California.
One of the administration’s recent victories in a higher appeals court came Thursday evening, when a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit lifted an injunction from a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, which blocked a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act preventing abortion providers from receiving Medicaid reimbursements.
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