Anthony Virula, a medical laboratory sciences student, peers through a microscope while practicing how to identify elements they will commonly see in slides at the Sundquist Science Complex in Clarksville, Tenn., on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Hpt Austin Peay Covid 19 Testing Semler Students 10
Sacramento, California – In a series of rulings issued Monday, federal judges delivered a wave of temporary victories for California-based scientists and research institutions whose funding was abruptly cut by the Trump administration. The decisions may lead to the restoration of tens of millions of dollars in grants that supported health, environmental, and academic research across the state.
In Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge William Young ruled that the cancellation of more than 800 research grants—including approximately 430 in California—was “illegal” and “arbitrary and capricious.” Many of the revoked grants focused on health disparities, women’s health, LGBTQ+ issues, dementia, and vaccine research. “I have never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable,” Young said last week in reference to the cancellations.
The case centers on the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s primary funder of biomedical research. NIH began cutting grants after a series of executive orders from President Trump aimed at eliminating federal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The NIH had previously prioritized expanding opportunities for women, minority scholars, and research on vulnerable populations—priorities Congress explicitly funded.
Many of the affected grants supported graduate students, early-career researchers, and lab-based training at California universities. At the University of California alone, NIH funding totaled $2.6 billion last year. Among the projects already reinstated is a major UC Davis study on the causes of dementia.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of 16 attorneys general to sue the administration, said he expects funding to resume, though the timeline is unclear. The Department of Health and Human Services has appealed the decision and requested a 14-day delay, which Judge Young denied, warning that “even a day’s delay further destroys the unmistakable legislative purpose.”
In a separate ruling in California, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin ordered the reinstatement of grants terminated by the National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The decision followed a lawsuit filed by six University of California researchers whose grants were canceled under vague explanations referencing “agency priorities.” One plaintiff, Dr. Neeta Thakur, had been researching wildfire smoke and lung disease in low-income communities of color.
Lin noted that the Trump administration admitted to flagging grants based on “blacklisted topics” identified through keyword searches. She scheduled a hearing for July 2 to monitor compliance with her ruling.
Meanwhile, California and 21 other states filed a broader lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s authority to terminate grants by citing shifting agency priorities. That suit targets what the states argue is an unlawful strategy that has resulted in $10 billion in rescinded federal funding.
