CSEA/VOICE is speaking out forcefully against the administration’s announced intention to withhold $10 billion in federal aid to five Democratic-led states – including New York.
If this unlawful funding freeze moves forward, the consequences would be devastating. Child care programs could be forced to shut down. Educators and assistants could lose their jobs. Working parents would lose access to the reliable child care they depend on to remain in the workforce.
This is not theoretical. This is real.
AFSCME, along with its partners, has filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the freeze. While a federal judge temporarily halted the action in a separate case brought by the affected states, that pause is not permanent. The legal fight continues — and it is critically important.
As a proud CSEA/VOICE member, child care educator, and Nassau County VOICE Chapter Representative, Janna Rodriguez made it clear what is at stake:
“If my clients can no longer afford child care, they will have to make hard decisions about leaving the workforce, which in turn has cascading effects on their well-being, our community, and the country at large. Paying child care educators on time is not optional. It is the foundation that allows working families, children, and the broader economy to function,” said Rodriguez.
Janna Rodriguez speaks at the 2025 VOICE Conference.
CSEA/VOICE stands firmly with AFSCME and our labor partners in challenging this unlawful funding freeze. These subsidies are not political bargaining tools — they are lifelines for families, educators, and communities.
This funding supports child care educators who rely on timely subsidy payments to cover payroll, rent, food, and utilities. It supports working parents who cannot afford to leave their jobs and children who depend on stable, nurturing, high-quality early learning environments. Outside of childcare educators and families, this funding also supports state and local workers who administer these critical programs
Without these funds, many programs — especially those serving low-income and single-parent households — could face closure within weeks or months. Educators across the country have already testified that losing subsidies would mean losing most of their enrollment and being unable to sustain operations.
For CSEA/VOICE educators, this fight is about protecting the foundation of our profession and the families we serve.
Child care is infrastructure.
Child care is workforce stability.
Child care is economic stability.
CSEA/VOICE will continue to advocate fiercely for our members and for the children and families who rely on us every day.
We will not stand by while essential services are targeted for political reasons.
Read more from AFSCME here: https://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-members-speak-out-in-court-case-to-protect-child-care-affordability