Judge Sides with States, Calling Out the Trump Administration for an “Appalling” Pattern of Discrimination Against Vulnerable Communities

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield today issued the following statement after a federal judge set aside the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate hundreds of crucial biomedical research grants, declaring the move “illegal” and “void” and specifically condemning “clear” evidence of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community and racial minorities. The judge sided with a coalition of 16 attorneys general who are suing the Trump Administration over its unlawful attempt to disrupt grant funding issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“This ruling is a big deal for Oregon and every state that relies on science, not politics, to guide public health. Stripping funding from research that addresses vaccine hesitancy, health disparities, or LGBTQ+ health, just because the federal government doesn’t like the subject, is not just harmful, it’s illegal,” Rayfield said. “Oregonians deserve access to evidence-based care and the innovations that come from this kind of research. This decision shows that discrimination has no place in science, and political agendas can’t be used to silence critical medical research.”

The lawsuit, filed on April 4, alleged that NIH had terminated large swaths of already-issued grants for projects that are currently underway based on the projects’ perceived connection to “DEI,” “transgender issues,” “vaccine hesitancy,” and other topics disfavored by the current Administration. In boilerplate letters issued to the grants’ recipients, NIH claimed that each cancelled project “no longer effectuates agency priorities.” Siding with the states, today Judge William G. Young denounced these actions, stating that he had “never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable” in his 40 years on the bench, and that he would “be blind not to call it out.”

Today’s court ruling halted the cancellation of millions of dollars that have already been awarded to address important public health needs and will allow funding for life-saving medical research to continue. The coalition will be filing a proposed order with the court in the coming days.

The lawsuit, filed on April 4, alleged that NIH had terminated large swaths of already-issued grants for projects that are currently underway based on the projects’ perceived connection to “DEI,” “transgender issues,” “vaccine hesitancy,” and other topics disfavored by the current Administration. In boilerplate letters issued to the grants’ recipients, NIH claimed that each cancelled project “no longer effectuates agency priorities.” Siding with the states, today Judge William G. Young denounced these actions, stating that he had “never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable” in his 40 years on the bench, and that he would “be blind not to call it out.”

Today’s court ruling halted the cancellation of millions of dollars that have already been awarded to address important public health needs and will allow funding for life-saving medical research to continue. The coalition will be filing a proposed order with the court in the coming days.