A federal judge in Boston on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from diverting more than $4 billion earmarked for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which funds projects intended to shield communities from floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters. U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns found that the plaintiffs—20 mostly Democratic-led states headed by Massachusetts and Washington—are likely to succeed on the merits of their lawsuit and face irreparable harm if the money is repurposed. The complaint argues that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs BRIC, lacks authority to cancel or reallocate congressionally appropriated grants without legislative approval. Launched in 2018, BRIC has approved roughly $4.5 billion for nearly 2,000 infrastructure projects across the United States, many in coastal states vulnerable to severe weather. Stearns said states should not have to wait until funds are clawed back before seeking relief, adding that the public interest is served when the federal government follows spending laws. FEMA and its parent Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment. The administration can appeal to the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but the injunction keeps the disaster-mitigation funds available while the broader legal challenge proceeds.