Trump admin broke law freezing EV funds, federal judge rules

Judge Lin issued a ruling on January 23

U. S. District Judge Tana Lin ruled on January 23, 2026, that the Trump administration broke the law when it froze $5 billion in electric vehicle charging funds. The ruling was a complete victory for the states that sued.

Lin found the government unlawfully suspended the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, known as NEVI, which provides money to build EV chargers along highways across the country.

The judge said the government defied Congress

Lin wrote that the Department of Transportation “yanked the NEVI Formula Program’s cord out of the outlet,” and she said this was “simply not how things are lawfully done.”

The government defied the will of Congress by withholding funds that lawmakers had approved.

Federal agencies cannot act beyond the powers given to them by law, and Lin found the administration had done exactly that.

Twenty states won this case

The lawsuit included 20 states plus Washington, D. C. Washington, Colorado, and California led the legal fight against the federal government. Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, joined as supporters of the states.

All plaintiffs argued the funding freeze was illegal and unconstitutional, and the judge agreed with them on every point they raised in court.

States can now access blocked funds

The ruling permanently bars the DOT from taking away state funds or canceling approved state plans. California alone can now access $379 million that it was previously denied.

States across the country had projects stalled for months while the lawsuit played out, but they can now move forward with building charging stations along major highways.

What is the NEVI program?

Congress created NEVI as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program provides $5 billion to build EV charging stations across the country.

Chargers must be placed every 50 miles along major highways so drivers can travel long distances without running out of power. Each station must have at least four fast chargers to reduce wait times for drivers.

The program helps all 50 states

Every state receives a share of NEVI funds based on a federal formula. States must submit plans showing where they will build chargers before they can access the money.

The goal is a coast-to-coast network for long-distance EV travel. Federal funds cover up to 80% of project costs, with states and private companies paying the rest.

Trump ordered a funding freeze

President Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, directing agencies to pause funds for EV charging programs. On February 6, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration froze NEVI completely.

The agency also canceled all previously approved state plans, which left projects across the country in limbo and blocked states from accessing money Congress had set aside for them.

States filed suit in May 2025

Seventeen states and D. C. filed a lawsuit on May 7, 2025, in federal court in Seattle. They argued the freeze violated the Constitution and federal law.

Four more states joined later, bringing the total to 20 states plus D. C.

The coalition included states led by both Democrats and Republicans who wanted their share of the infrastructure money.

The judge granted early relief in June

Judge Lin issued a preliminary injunction on June 24, 2025, which unfroze roughly $1 billion for 14 states. The administration restarted the program in August 2025 after that ruling.

But states said roadblocks to funding continued even after the restart, so they pushed for a final ruling that would settle the matter once and for all.

Final ruling ends the fight

The January 2026 ruling is a final judgment, not a temporary order. It applies to all plaintiff states, not just the original 14 that won relief in June.

The DOT cannot interfere with the program going forward.

States can now resume building their charging networks without fear of another funding freeze from the federal government.

Congress may redirect some funds

A bill in Congress would take back $879 million from NEVI and send it to other infrastructure projects. The House of Representatives has already passed this bill.

The Senate was set to consider it in late January 2026.

Even with the court victory, states could still lose some funding if Congress moves the money elsewhere.

States move forward with construction

States have already committed over $1. 4 billion to charging projects using NEVI funds.

Nine states have opened new funding rounds since August 2025. More than a dozen states plan to release funding in early 2026.

The ruling gives states certainty to move forward with construction and sign contracts with companies that will build the chargers.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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