Bay Area orgs grapple with implications of federal funding freeze
SAN FRANCISCO - News of the Trump Administration's pause on funding sent organizations across the country into frenzy on Tuesday, and many in the Bay Area are now scrambling to understand how this freeze might impact their programs and critical services.
The implications could be widespread, with funding for federal student loans, law enforcement, health care, and more at risk.
So what does this pause mean?" White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing. "It means no more funding for illegal DEI programs. It means no more funding for the Green New Scam that has cost American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. It means no more funding for transgenderism and wokeness across our federal bureaucracy and agencies."
The White House said the freeze is temporary, and meant to ensure that grants and loans don't conflict with Trump's ongoing executive orders.
On Tuesday, a federal judge blocked enforcement of the pause, temporarily halting its impact until Monday while litigation plays out.
The freeze will not affect programs like Medicare, food stamps or Social Security. Medicaid portals throughout the country were affected Tuesday, though the White House said the issues were unrelated.
Joe Hawkins, CEO & Co-Founder Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, said the order to pause funding constitutes an attack on marginalized communities.
"This freeze has created widespread fear and confusion and it is a blatant and devastating assault on the transgender, non-binary and the broader LGBTQ community," Hawkins said.
He added 30% of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center's funding comes from the federal government.
"We receive support for people living with HIV, we receive funding and have services for elders, for youth… and the fear is our organization depends on that funding in a timely manner," Hawkins said. "So to have the funding pause, literally many organizations could shut their doors."
Legal challenges are already underway; California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with other democratic state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the freeze.