On February 6, 2026, a federal court granted a preliminary injunction halting the federal funding freeze that threatened child care and essential family support programs in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York.
The court’s order blocks the Administration for Children and Families from restricting access to Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funding and requires the removal of unlawful barriers preventing states from collecting these funds.
More than 1.3 million children and their families nationwide rely on publicly funded child care to support their development and well-being. When access to these funds is threatened, it destabilizes providers and jeopardizes the economic security of working families who depend on these essential supports.
In Illinois, these funding streams help thousands of working families afford child care and support community-based providers. Even the threat of funding disruptions can create fear and instability in an already fragile child care system and ripple across other essential supports families rely on, including housing, nutrition and health services.
Child care is core to our economic infrastructure. When funding becomes unstable, providers face difficult decisions about staffing and capacity, and families face uncertainty about available supports that allow them to work. These disruptions affect employers, businesses and local and state economies.
The court’s decision reinforces that federal agencies cannot unilaterally disrupt programs authorized and funded by Congress. States and communities depend on predictable, stable funding to serve children and families effectively.
We are grateful to leaders and advocates in Illinois and partner states that took action to defend families, providers, and the rule of law.
While this ruling provides important relief, continued vigilance is necessary. Families in Illinois and across the country deserve reliable, sustained support that reflects how essential these programs are to the healthy development of children and economic security of communities.
