Pritzker calls for release of $2B in federal funding halted by President Donald Trump administration

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation are demanding answers from the federal government Wednesday.

It centers on nearly $2 billion in federal payments to Illinois that were temporarily halted by President Donald Trump's administration.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Pritzker, who is an unabashed critic of Trump on many fronts, is now challenging the administration over the budget that Republicans just passed in the House, and federal money that was supposed to be coming to Illinois, but is now apparently caught in limbo.

Pritzker touted an increase in his medical debt cancellation program Wednesday morning, but blasted the Trump administration over federal funds allocated for Illinois that were temporarily halted last month.

For some reason, they have not been made available after that order was rescinded.

"Now, when you call the federal government agencies, they either don't want to talk to you, or they are, you know, they say, you know, we don't know what's going to happen, whether you're going to get paid. We don't know when," Pritzker said.

So, Pritzker and the entire Democratic Congressional Delegation have written the director of the Office of Management and Budget, demanding an accounting of funding that's been paused or interrupted, noting, "In total, this constitutes $1.88 billion in impacted federal funds across 14 state agencies, boards and commissions in Illinois."

"We, of course, are in every circumstance looking at what is our redress? Can we go to court? And if not, are we, you know, is there some other way that we can get that, that funding source turned back on?" Pritzker said.

Pritzker was asked if he thought the money was being withheld in response to his frequent criticism of the president.

"I don't, I actually think that it's both they're incompetent. That's one of the issues. They literally have fired the competent people because they want people that are solely loyal to Donald Trump," Pritzker said.

In his letter, Pritzker asked for an accounting of the missing funds by March 4. It's money he says is owed to Illinois taxpayers.

The Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to a request for comment.