California temporarily blocks Trump policy barring some immigrants from food banks, health care, Head Start and more

Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News on Sep 13, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SAN JOSE, Calif. — California has secured a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from barring immigrants living in the country illegally from accessing dozens of federally funded programs, including child care, health care and education services.

As part of the Trump administration’s proposed change, federally funded programs would be required to verify recipients’ immigration status — reversing a Clinton administration policy that extended “public benefit” programs to people living in the country without legal permission. The Trump administration said the change was necessary to ensure taxpayer-funded “public resources are no longer used to incentivize illegal immigration.”

The new court order comes a few months after California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 20 other state leaders sued the administration over the policy change in July.

In July, the California-led coalition secured a temporary pause preventing the administration from implementing the changes before Sept. 10. The new preliminary injunction — signed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island — blocks the Trump administration from implementing the changes indefinitely while litigation continues.

Programs included in the Trump administration’s restriction would include child care services for low-income families, adult education, mental health and substance use disorder programs, temporary housing assistance, food banks, cooling centers and shelters for at-risk youth and domestic violence survivors, among others.

The proposed restriction would also include Head Start — a national program that serves more than 750,000 low-income children aged zero to 5-years old across the U.S. The program provides free school meals and medical screenings, child care, and support and job assistance for parents.

Bonta and state leaders said that in addition to causing irreparable harm to vulnerable families, the proposed restrictions barring some immigrants from participation would have a “chilling effect” on all participants of the programs, regardless of immigration status. The states’ lawsuit also said the proposed verification requirements would cost states’ economies hundreds of millions of dollars.

“With today’s decision, vital education, nutrition and health programs like Head Start — and the families who rely on their services — can breathe a sigh of relief,” said Bonta. “The Trump administration continues to pull the rug out from under California families just trying to get by, but we’re fighting back. We’re grateful that a district court has put a stop to this cruel new directive while our litigation continues.”