Dallas County, Texas, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) challenging the termination of COVID-19 public health grants. The case, filed in the District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks to restore over $11 billion in funding that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) canceled in March 2025. This decision has significant implications for local health initiatives and the ability to respond to future public health emergencies.
The lawsuit, officially known as Civil Action No. 2025-4242, stems from a broader issue affecting several local governments that relied on federal funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. The abrupt cancellation of these grants has raised concerns about the future of public health funding and the capacity of local governments to manage health crises.
Dallas County is one of many local governments that received funding through COVID-19 relief measures. The county claims that the termination of its Infectious Disease Control Unit (IDCU) grant has forced it to cut staff and limit its ability to monitor infectious diseases. The case highlights the tension between federal authority and local health needs, particularly as the nation moves beyond the pandemic.
Background
The parties involved in this case are Dallas County, Texas, as the plaintiff, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in his official capacity as Secretary of Health and Human Services, along with other federal officials, as defendants. The dispute centers around the federal government's decision to terminate COVID-19 public health grants, which were initially authorized by Congress to help state and local governments respond to the pandemic.
In March 2025, the Trump administration announced the cancellation of these grants, citing the end of the pandemic. This decision affected multiple local governments, prompting several lawsuits against HHS. Prior to Dallas County's suit, other local governments, such as Harris County, Texas, and a coalition of states, successfully challenged the termination in court, obtaining preliminary injunctions to restore some funding.
Dallas County filed its lawsuit approximately nine months after the mass termination announcement, raising constitutional claims and violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The county argues that the federal government failed to consider the specific needs of local health departments and acted arbitrarily in terminating the grants.
The Ruling
In a recent ruling, Judge Christopher R. Cooper of the District Court for the District of Columbia addressed several motions in the case. The court denied Dallas County's motion for a preliminary injunction, which sought to prevent the federal government from enforcing the grant terminations. The court found that the county did not demonstrate irreparable harm, stating, "The County has not made the requisite showing that a preliminary injunction of the March 24 mass termination decision is warranted to stave off irreparable harm."
The court also denied the government's motion to dismiss the case in part, allowing some claims to proceed while striking others without prejudice. The judge emphasized that the county had standing to challenge the termination and that there were no insurmountable jurisdictional barriers to its claims under the APA.
Judge Cooper noted that the government’s mass termination of grants created uncertainty for local health departments, but he ultimately concluded that the county's evidence of harm was not sufficiently concrete to warrant immediate relief. The court also granted the government's request to temporarily stay further proceedings pending the resolution of a related case in the D.C. Circuit, which may clarify jurisdictional issues relevant to the case.
Impact
This ruling has significant implications for Dallas County and other local governments affected by the termination of COVID-19 grants. The decision not to grant a preliminary injunction means that the county must continue to operate under the constraints imposed by the loss of funding, which has already led to staff reductions and uncertainty in public health planning.
The case also sets a precedent for how courts may handle similar disputes involving federal funding and local health initiatives. As the legal landscape evolves, the outcome of this case could influence future funding decisions and the relationship between federal and local health authorities. The ruling may also impact ongoing litigation by other local governments challenging the termination of COVID-19-related grants.
What's Next
The case may still be appealed, particularly regarding the denial of the preliminary injunction. Additionally, the pending resolution of the related case in the D.C. Circuit could have a bearing on the proceedings in Dallas County's lawsuit. As the legal arguments continue to unfold, the outcome will be closely watched by public health officials and local governments across the country.