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Houston, TX – Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee announced today that Harris County has sued the Trump administration for illegally cutting off millions of dollars in public health funding—funding that Congress had already approved and that local governments across the country were already relying on. 

The lawsuit, filed alongside cities like Columbus and Nashville, comes after the Trump Administration abruptly terminated billions of dollars in federal health grants. Harris County alone is losing millions designated to track infectious diseases like measles, deliver vaccinations, and support residents from future public health crises.

“Harris County was set to receive millions of dollars to support critical public health services—programs that help us detect and prevent disease outbreaks, run vaccination clinics, and keep our residents healthy,” said County Attorney Menefee. “The Trump administration doesn’t get to override Congress just because it wants to score political points. This funding is the backbone of our local public health response—especially during disease outbreaks. You don’t get to break the law just because you don’t like how Congress spent the money.”

The grants were created during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Congress explicitly designed them to build long-term public health infrastructure. Some of Harris County’s now-defunded programs include:

• Wastewater surveillance to detect emerging diseases.
• Call centers for immunization guidance and health services.
• Community health workers who help over 40,000 residents a year access health care, food assistance, and benefits.
• Vaccination clinics that have administered thousands of mobile immunizations across the county.

The Trump administration justified the move by claiming the COVID-19 pandemic is “over”—even as Texas grapples with a deadly measles outbreak that has already reached Harris County. The administration did not identify a single legal violation by Harris County or any other grantee before yanking the funds.

“They didn’t follow the law. They didn’t follow their own rules. And they’re threatening the health of our most vulnerable residents in the process,” said Menefee. “That’s why we’re suing.”

This is the second time in recent months that Harris County has had to sue the Trump administration over illegal funding cuts. Just weeks ago, Menefee’s office forced the administration to reverse course after it froze healthcare funding for refugees. Now, the county is back in court to protect broader public health funding for all residents.

“We’re doing this not just for Harris County, but for public health departments across the country that lost funding they were promised,” Menefee added. “These programs save lives, and it’s important that we’re in this fight together.”