"Let's be clear, January 20th was an inauguration, not a coronation. Congress is given the power to appropriate the funding. The executive branch cannot unilaterally disregard those appropriations," Raoul said.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Tuesday said the Trump administration's move to freeze funding for federal assistance programs is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers between the White House and Congress.

The freeze on federal funding and grants has wide-ranging implications and impacts everything from funding for child care, university research and roads and bridges.