On Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction that continues blocking the Trump Administration’s unlawful and drastic National Institutes of Health funding cuts from taking effect.

The preliminary injunction is in effect with respect to institutions nationwide until further order by the court.

On Feb. 10, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 22 attorneys general, announced a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over the NIH funding cuts and sought a temporary restraining order.

Less than six hours later, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts granted the temporary restraining order.

On Feb. 21, the court held a preliminary injunction hearing, and in advance of the hearing, Attorney General Bonta and his fellow attorneys general released a joint statement that said, in part, “The Trump Administration’s attempt to cut research funding at thousands of research institutions across the country is not only unlawful; it undermines public health, our economy and our competitiveness. There are laws in place that protect this funding, and the president cannot simply toss those laws aside.”

They said the research funding covers expenses that facilitate critical components of biomedical research, such as lab, faculty, infrastructure and utility costs.

“Without it, lifesaving and life-extending research, including clinical trials, would be significantly compromised. These cuts would have a devastating impact on universities around the country, many of which are at the forefront of groundbreaking research efforts — while also training future generations of researchers and innovators. They would force many universities to redirect funds and ultimately reduce research activities. Research funded by the National Institutes of Health has furthered our understanding of medical conditions and found new treatments for adult and childhood cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, heart disease, PTSD and more,” the attorneys general said.

On Wednesday, Bonta said, “Last month, my fellow attorneys general and I secured a temporary restraining order, which blocked the Trump Administration from eviscerating funding for life-saving medical research. Now, we have secured a preliminary injunction that continues barring the Trump Administration from implementing the NIH funding cuts. The court’s order also notes that we are likely to succeed on the merits of our claims. As we have said before, we will not allow President Trump to play politics with our public health or to break the law.”