The Trump administration is reigniting a legal fight over whether it can unilaterally freeze billions of dollars in funding in loans, grants and financial assistance.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Justice Department's request to pause a judge's order while it challenges the order in court.

A group of 22 states and the District of Columbia said the Trump administration was not complying with a judge's order blocking its freeze on federal assistance.

A memo from the Office of Management and Budget ordering a freeze on federal assistance sparked confusion across the country earlier this week.

The Trump administration failed to “identify any harm related to a specific funding action or actions that they will face without their requested administrative stay,” the appeals court

A federal judge in Rhode Island has formally blocked the Trump administration's spending freeze, saying in it is likely a violation of the Constitution.

A federal judge said that President Trump has violated his order to lift a blanket freeze on federal spending and again directed the administration to release the funds. That comes as top prosecutors in nearly half the country sued the administration for withholding medical research funding.