A federal judge ordered on Sunday evening that the Trump administration immediately cease broadcasting controversial government-funded advertisements. These advertisements, which are considered promotional materials, have been criticized for aiming to influence the upcoming midterms.

These advertisements are funded by a $20 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The plaintiff alliance that filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Federal District Court of Manhattan to stop the continued broadcasting of these advertisements includes the advocacy group Common Cause and the 32BJ local branch of the Service Employees Union, which is headquartered in New York City.

Jennifer Rochon In the ruling, the judge wrote: 'The court holds that: (1) the current motion has not lost its relevance, (2) the plaintiff is entitled to proceed with the litigation, and (3) the plaintiffs who filed the motion have demonstrated that they are likely to win on the merits of the case; without a restraining order, irreparable damage would be incurred; the equities favor their side; and issuing a restraining order is in the public interest.'

In a statement, the alliance said: "We are pleased that the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayers' money from being used for such overtly illegal political propaganda."

The alliance also stated, "There is no legal basis or precedent for the president to use government machinery and funds allocated by Congress for other purposes to influence election results in a way that favors his own agenda." Referring to U.S. President Donald Trump, the alliance said, "As this case progresses and voters make their voices heard in these elections, we will work to ensure that the rule of law is maintained and to protect the rights of voters and our democracy."

This is an ongoing piece of news, and updates will follow.