Rhode Island

DOJ and states were back in RI court over federal funding freeze. When is a ruling expected?

Published

11 months ago

February 21, 2025

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DOJ and states were back in RI court over federal funding freeze. When is a ruling expected?

A federal judge heard arguments Friday in Providence on whether to extend an order blocking the federal government from freezing funds allocated to states.
Democrat-led states argued that the freeze on “categorical” funding is unlawful and has caused chaos and uncertainty for important programs.
A Justice Department lawyer argued that the states’ complaint is overly broad and that the president has the authority to pause spending.
The judge said he hopes to issue a ruling in the coming week and has left in place an order to keep federal money flowing to states.

PROVIDENCE – A federal judge heard arguments Friday in the high-stakes battle about whether to extend an order blocking the federal government from freezing money states rely on for services ranging from child care to disaster relief to Medicaid payments.

U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. weighed a request by close to two dozen Democratic states to block the federal government from withholding billions in aid until agencies ensure that all spending aligns with President Donald Trump’s priorities on “woke” gender ideology, climate goals and foreign aid.

States operate on “carefully orchestrated” payment systems that depend on promised and appropriated federal aid for their budgeting, Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General Sarah Rice told the court Friday.

The “categorical” federal funding freeze enacted shortly after Trump took office, creating chaos and throwing child care services and Head Start programs into disarray and uncertainty, is contrary to the law, Rice said.

“We don’t know how long these pauses might have gone on” without court intervention, Rice said.

Despite McConnell’s previous court orders halting any freeze, “an outage has continued to this day,” she said. The harm, she said, is irreparable, impacting crucial services, programs and payrolls.

“The people who provide the care need to be paid,” Rice said.

Federal response: States’ complaint is ‘abstract’

A U.S. Department of Justice lawyer urged the court to reject the states’ request, faulting it as overly broad, “abstract” and “across-the-board.” If the court grants an injunction, federal agencies will be hamstrung from making spending choices based on their own discretion, he said.

“The president is allowed to tell an agency if you have the discretion to pause if you should pause,” Department of Justice Special Counsel Daniel Schwei said.

Schwei drew parallels between Trump’s funding directive and former President Joe Biden’s decision to halt money for a border wall. Executives have regularly exercised their power to halt spending based on their priorities, he said.

The pause, he said, at most impacted the timing of payments and had been withdrawn within days, a step the government has argued makes the case moot.

‘A political term of art’

McConnell questioned how the government’s order to ensure it aligned with Trump’s priorities shouldn’t be viewed as arbitrary in itself. The judge noted that it referred to a Green New Deal – which in reality doesn’t exist.

“It’s a political term of art,” McConnell said.

Schwei said the order was only directing agencies to use their own discretion to save money.

He hit back, too, against McConnell’s reference to a Trump press secretary’s comments implying that the federal government wasn’t complying with the court’s previous court orders.

McConnell granted the states a temporary restraining order in late January and later a second “emergency” order directing the federal government to comply or face possible contempt.

Schwei said the breadth of those orders make it difficult for the government to comply.

Neronha: ‘He could have gone to Congress’

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, whose office is leading the states’ lawsuit, said after the proceedings that he thinks the injunction will be granted because the states have a good case.

“Trump’s executive orders and the subsequent memos sent to federal agencies have ‘sidelined’ Congress, and to an extent the courts, and if Trump wanted to reallocate the funds, he could have gone to Congress, which his party controls, to move the funds through the recision process,” Neronha said.

The injunction is necessary because the federal government can’t be trusted to keep its word and to prevent the Trump administration from issuing a similar memo later, he said.

McConnell said he hopes to issue a ruling in the coming week on the state’s bid for an injunction and left in place an order to keep federal money flowing.

Travel of the case

The states’ challenge to Trump’s freeze on spending landed in federal court in Rhode Island last month after authorities directed agencies to ensure spending complied with the administration’s priorities.

McConnell agreed to indefinitely block the freeze on federal spending, calling the president’s claims of executive authority “constitutionally flawed.” Days later, the court directed the federal government to comply with with the order after states complained that money continued to be withheld. McConnell warned that the government could be found in criminal contempt.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the government’s bid for a stay of McConnell’s orders, finding that the judge had left room for officials to seek relief, if necessary.

With reports from Wheeler Cowperthwaite

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 10, 2026

Published

3 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

05-19-21-28-64, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

17-24-36-38-43, Lucky Ball: 17

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

Midday: 6-3-1-0

Evening: 3-7-1-4

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

10-13-27-37-38, Extra: 19

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Rhode Island

GoLocalProv | News | Gov. McKee’s Schedule for the First 10 Days of the New Year

Published

15 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

GoLocalProv | News | Gov. McKee’s Schedule for the First 10 Days of the New Year

Saturday, January 10, 2026

GoLocalProv News Team

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Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal

It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.

Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.

For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.

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He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.

McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.

A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.

Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?

GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026

No public events.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026

No public events.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026

2:00 PM

Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.

LOCATION:

RI State House Rotunda

82 Smith Street

Providence, RI

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026

No public events.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026

No public events.

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026

9:30 AM

Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.

LOCATION:

Cross’ Mills Public Library

4417 Old Post Road

Charlestown, RI

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026

No public events.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026

11:00 AM

Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.

LOCATION:

CIC Providence

225 Dyer Street

Providence, RI

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026

No public events.

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Rhode Island

GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

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Protest in Providence in June against ICE PHOTO: GoLocal

Organizers in Rhode Island and across the country are mobilizing against ICE after a pair of shootings in the past few days.

Organizers locally said, “Rhode Islanders will gather on Sunday to honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”

The RI event begins at 2 PM at the State House on Sunday.

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Nationally, it was a announced on Friday that, “A broad national coalition, including Indivisible, MoveOn Civic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Voto Latino, United We Dream, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign of the Not Above the Law coalition, and partner organizations across the country, is calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.

“The mobilization comes in response to the escalation of ICE violence in our communities, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother of three, and the months-long pattern of unchecked violence and abuse in marginalized communities across America. Across the country, communities will gather in nonviolent, lawful, and community-led actions to honor the life lost, demand accountability, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions,” said organizers.

Organizers added, “Good and the Portland victims are part of a broader and deeply alarming pattern of unchecked violence and abuse by federal immigration enforcement agencies. In September, ICE reportedly shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook from Mexico living in Chicago. In 2025 alone, more than 30 people have reportedly died in ICE detention.”