Some Head Start programs in California were swept up in the confusion over President Donald Trump’s directive to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans, reporting that they temporarily lost access to an online payment system on Tuesday morning.
The programs regained access to funds after the White House insisted that its order doesn’t apply to child care, housing assistance and other vital programs.
Trump administration officials said the decision to pause federal funding was necessary to ensure that the spending aligns with the president’s priorities. However, a judge temporarily blocked the administration’s objective after a group of nonprofits and states, including California, challenged the directive in court.