PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After the Trump administration announced plans to shut down a program meant to help communities prepare for natural disasters, a federal judge has barred the admin from shifting funds tied to the program amid a lawsuit led by Washington state.

In July, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown -- along with 19 other plaintiff states and a governor -- filed a lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security (which oversees FEMA).

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs argue that FEMA's decision to abruptly shut down its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program violates Congress's decision to fund it.

On Tuesday, Massachusetts U.S. District Court Judge Richard Stearns granted the state's request for a prelimina

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