A federal judge has deemed the Trump administration’s termination of over $1 billion in research grants at the National Institutes of Health as “void and illegal.” US district judge William Young criticized the cuts, which targeted research linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as constituting “racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community.” Notably, Young, appointed by former president Ronald Reagan, highlighted the palpable nature of racial discrimination in this case.

As a result of the lawsuit filed by 16 Democratic-led states and various organizations, Young ordered the reinstatement of the revoked grants. Previously, in February, the Trump administration cut billions of dollars in NIH funding under the pretext of reducing the federal government and national debt, spearheaded by then-presidential adviser Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency.”

In response to these funding cuts, various groups including the American Public Health Association and the United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) filed a lawsuit in April, arguing that the cuts unfairly targeted research related to race, gender identity, vaccines, and equity. The lawsuit contended that the NIH departed from its science-based review process in favor of ambiguous new priorities.

According to a letter signed by numerous NIH employees, over $12 billion in research grants have been slashed since Donald Trump assumed office. During a recent Senate committee hearing, NIH director Jay Bhattacharya expressed a commitment to exploring options for restoring some of the funding. Importantly, Judge Young’s ruling currently applies to specific grants cited in the lawsuit, with further decisions pending additional evidence presentation from both parties.