Federal Judge Partially Blocks Trump-Era Defunding of Planned Parenthood
by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction partially blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a congressional measure that strips Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood, marking a significant twist in the ongoing legal battle over the pro-life “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts, an Obama appointee, ruled Monday that the bill’s defund provision cannot be enforced against Planned Parenthood affiliates that do not perform abortions or receive less than $800,000 annually in Medicaid reimbursements. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought by several regional Planned Parenthood organizations, which claim the law violates constitutional protections.
Judge Talwani’s order followed a temporary restraining order she issued on July 7, shortly after President Donald Trump signed the sweeping budget reconciliation bill into law on Independence Day. The law, which passed Congress without Democratic support, includes a provision that suspends federal Medicaid funding to the nation’s largest abortion provider for one year. Planned Parenthood estimated the cut would force the closure of up to 200 of its 600 clinics and impact more than one million patients.
The plaintiffs argued that the law unlawfully punishes certain affiliates merely for their association with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, even though some do not provide abortions. They also raised First Amendment and Fifth Amendment claims, saying the legislation targeted Planned Parenthood uniquely while sparing other abortion providers, thus violating equal protection and freedom of association.
“We’re grateful the court recognized the harm caused by this law,” Planned Parenthood said in a joint statement Monday, “but we’re disappointed that not all members were granted the necessary relief today. This isn’t over.”
Judge Talwani concluded that allowing the defund measure to proceed in full would cause irreparable harm to some clinics and patients, while the harm to the federal government would be “at most minimal–financial or otherwise.” The injunction remains in effect indefinitely while litigation continues.
The Trump administration sharply criticized Talwani’s earlier July 7 restraining order as “highly unusual,” arguing it lacked legal justification and interfered with Congress’s constitutional power to control federal spending. DOJ attorneys reiterated that Planned Parenthood’s injuries were economic and reparable, and asserted the law’s intent was to prevent taxpayer subsidies from flowing to “Big Abortion.”
Pro-life advocates swiftly responded to Monday’s ruling with frustration. “Even if a particular Planned Parenthood clinic doesn’t perform abortions, it often refers and promotes them,” said Miles Mullin of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). “This ruling ignores both the will of Congress and the voices of over 400,000 children silenced each year in these clinics.”
The battle is far from over. Legal observers expect the Trump administration to appeal to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, with the potential for the case to reach the Supreme Court. In the meantime, pro-life activists and Planned Parenthood supporters alike are preparing for a prolonged legal and political showdown.
“This partial injunction is just one step in a much larger fight,” said Mullin. “We remain committed to ensuring that not one cent of taxpayer money goes to fund morally bankrupt organizations that profit from the destruction of human life.”
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