By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors yesterday entered the fray against the Trump administration’s plan to freeze $10 billion in social service funding to five blue states, including California, on the unproven grounds that these states perpetuate massive fraud in the system.
Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Board Chair Hilda L. Solis saw the full Board of Supervisors unanimously approve their motion to respond within 14 days with a coordinated plan to urgently fight against the cuts and protect access to essential safety-net programs relied upon by thousands of County residents.
The Board’s action follows a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to California and four other states announcing immediate restrictions on access to federal anti-poverty funds, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)—known in California as CalWORKs—the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). While a federal judge has temporarily blocked the funding freeze, the threat of disruption remains.
“We cannot and will not wait for the clock to run out. As the largest administrator of safety-net programs in the nation, Los Angeles County must stand against and plan for the devastating impact of this impending federal funding freeze,” said Mitchell, whose office receives more than 1,500 calls each month from residents in urgent need of benefits.
“This is a man-made crisis. Under the guise of preventing ‘fraud,’ the federal government has issued yet another directive that is anti-immigrant, anti-Black, and harmful to working-class families.”
Solis said withholding federal funding from California families—especially children—is nothing short of despicable.
“Too many residents in Los Angeles County rely on programs like CalWORKs to make ends meet, and instead of fulfilling their obligation, the Trump administration is using our most vulnerable as political pawns. Make no mistake: Los Angeles County is committed to acting swiftly to protect families, assess impacts, and fight for the resources our communities need, while supporting the legal efforts of California and other affected states,” said Solis.
California receives approximately $5 billion annually through the affected programs. In Los Angeles County alone, more than 112,000 families rely on cash assistance, approximately 200,000 children could lose access to monthly support and subsidized childcare, and tens of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities depend on services supported by SSBG funding.
In addition to directing the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) to assess the impact of any federal funding disruption on County-administered programs—including CalWORKs, childcare, and social services—the motion instructs County Counsel to identify all available legal actions, including participating in California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit or filing amicus briefs, and for public awareness and outreach to help keep residents informed on the facts and resources available.
The Trump administration froze the money and demanded, within 14 days, extensive eligibility and personal data from states, without evidence of wrongdoing and without following federal rulemaking requirements.
On January 10, a federal judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing HHS from withholding TANF, CCDF, and SSBG funds, blocking a forced data-production request, and allowing funding to continue during litigation.
The TRO is set to expire on January 24, 2026, unless extended or converted into a preliminary injunction.
If residents who receive CalWORKs benefits have questions about their benefits, please contact DPSS at 866-613-3777. For general information about available resources, residents are encouraged to call 2-1-1.
