"Still, some plaintiffs remain hopeful that they can get their funding restored by arguing that Trump’s elimination of entire grant programs approved by Congress, in areas like environmental justice, is unconstitutional."

"Six cities and 13 nonprofit groups still cannot recoup millions of dollars after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals this week overturned a lower court’s ruling that forbade the Trump administration from terminating or freezing grant funding for environmental justice, agricultural and climate programs.

The three-judge panel—Paul Niemeyer, Allison Rushing and Toby Heyten—concluded that “the district court abused its discretion” in issuing injunctions against the administration.

Niemeyer was appointed to the bench by President George H.W. Bush; Rushing by President Donald Trump; and Heyten by President Joe Biden.

The restoration of specific grants could now be decided by the federal Court of Special Claims, which hears contract and monetary disputes with the U.S. government."

Lisa Sorg reports for Inside Climate News January 23, 2026. [2]