A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama has once again stepped in to block a key pro-life initiative of the Trump administration. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued an order preventing the Department of Health and Human Services from cutting off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood and similar organizations that perform abortions.
The ruling represents a major victory for Democrat-led states and a major setback for pro-life advocates who supported the funding cuts enacted under the GOP-backed “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
California and several other Democrat-controlled states sued to keep Medicaid dollars flowing to Planned Parenthood affiliates, and Talwani sided squarely with them. She claimed HHS failed “to provide clear notice as required by the Spending Clause of the United States Constitution” before implementing the one-year funding cutoff included in the legislation. This provision was designed to ensure that taxpayer money would no longer be routed through Medicaid to organizations that end the lives of unborn children.
Talwani’s ruling comes despite the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit previously overturning one of her earlier decisions that similarly favored Planned Parenthood in litigation tied to the same federal law.
Pro-life advocates say this latest ruling is part of a broader pattern in which activist judges are working to undermine voters, Congress, and the administration in order to protect the abortion industry.
“The Democrats and their radical activist judges are desperately seeking to thwart the will of the people and bail out the Big Abortion industry, led by Planned Parenthood,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America.
She emphasized that the funding restrictions were enacted legally through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Trump. “This fight is not over. The pro-life movement will work tirelessly to ensure the Democrats do not prevail and taxpayers are never forced to pay a dime to prop up Big Abortion businesses,” Dannenfelser said.
Talwani’s political background has also drawn attention. Before joining the federal bench, she was an active supporter of high-profile Democrats, donating a total of $1,725 to Democratic candidates and committees.
Her contributions included $1,000 to former Senator John Kerry, $350 to Senator Elizabeth Warren, and $100 to Barack Obama, along with an additional $275 to the Democratic National Committee. She also volunteered for both Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and Warren’s 2012 Senate run, according to her own Senate questionnaire.
Her judicial record reflects similar ideological leanings. Talwani has issued rulings against the Trump administration before, including blocking efforts to end Temporary Protected Status for roughly half a million migrants. In another 2019 decision, she said Immigration and Customs Enforcement could arrest illegal aliens on courthouse grounds in Massachusetts, a ruling that sparked controversy but showcased her willingness to challenge immigration enforcement policies aligned with Trump.
With her latest ruling, Talwani has once again positioned herself as a key judicial ally of Democrat priorities. For conservatives and pro-life advocates, the decision is further evidence of the entrenched judicial activism that continues to obstruct elected leaders and federal agencies seeking to implement reforms backed by voters across the country. The legal battle now appears far from over.
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