A federal judge in Boston on Monday halted enforcement of a key provision in President Donald Trump’s newly signed tax and spending bill that aimed to strip Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, ruling the measure likely violates the U.S. Constitution.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, issued a preliminary injunction against the provision included in the Republican-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The law sought to deny Medicaid reimbursements to tax-exempt organizations that continue to provide abortions—effectively targeting Planned Parenthood.
Talwani found that the legislation appeared specifically designed to punish the organization for its abortion services. “Plaintiffs are likely to establish that Congress singled them out with punitive intent,” she wrote in her decision.
She added that the provision may amount to an unconstitutional “bill of attainder”—a legislative act that inflicts punishment without a judicial trial. The judge also determined that it likely violated Planned Parenthood members’ equal protection rights under the Fifth Amendment, and burdened the First Amendment rights of those affiliated with the national organization who do not provide abortions.
The U.S. Department of Justice had defended the law, arguing it was aimed at ending “federal subsidies for Big Abortion,” and urged the court not to allow Planned Parenthood to override Congress’ authority with “policy preferences.”
Planned Parenthood, which operates nearly 600 health centers across the country, warned that the law could have “catastrophic” effects, potentially forcing the closure of about 200 facilities in 24 states.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, welcomed the ruling: “We will keep fighting this cruel law so that everyone can get birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other critical health care, no matter their insurance.”
The White House has not responded to requests for comment.
Talwani had issued a narrower injunction last week, but Monday’s broader order came just as a temporary restraining order expired—prompting some clinics to preemptively stop billing Medicaid in anticipation of losing funding.
The legal fight marks a significant early test for President Trump’s controversial healthcare provisions, as well as a broader clash between the administration’s anti-abortion agenda and constitutional protections.
