The intrigue: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced the state has joined more than 20 other states in filing a separate suit in Rhode Island against the Trump administration, attempting to block the funding freeze. "I will not stand silent as they try to impose unconstitutional mandates," Raoul said.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said President Donald Trump’s pause on federal funding is illegal and accused the administration of lying when it said programs that provide direct assistance like Medicaid would not be affected.

President Donald Trump's administration's funding freeze order was paused by a judge, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker blasted the executive order as "illegal."

The move follows President Donald Trump’s directive to pause nearly all federal funding. Medicaid, the health care program for low-income people and families, is jointly administered by the federal and state government,

The funding freeze could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Grants that have been awarded but not spent are also halted.

The tie-up accessing funds puts the short-term future of 3.9 million Illinoisans who rely on the government program into question.

Governor JB Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speak on the effects of Donald Trump's freeze to essential federal programs in Illinois.