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Louisiana judge halts federal vaccine mandate for health workers

Arizona and 11 other states sued the federal government over its vaccine mandate. Judge Terry Doughty ruled Tuesday in favor of the states.

LOUISIANA, USA — Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.

A federal judge has halted the Biden administration's federal vaccine mandate after Arizona and several other states filed litigation to thwart the government's directive. 

U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty filed an injunction Tuesday that prevents the mandate from taking effect until the lawsuit can be further litigated in court.

The mandate would have required employees of Medicaid and Medicare health care providers to have their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and their second by Jan. 4.  

Plaintiffs argued the mandate was unconstitutional and accused the White House of overstepping its executive powers. 

Judge Doughty determined the plaintiff's interests ultimately outweighed the government's. 

"If human nature and history teach anything, it is that civil liberties face grave risks when governments proclaim indefinite states of emergency," the judge wrote in his ruling.

The lawsuit was originally filed earlier this month in Louisiana on behalf of 12 states that include Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Montana and West Virginia. 

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, celebrated the judge's injunction and promised to continue fighting vaccine mandates.

"Today, we won a major victory for our health care heroes across the country,"  Brnovich said. "It's unacceptable for the federal government to tell our medical professionals what to inject into their bodies. I will continue to push back against these unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandates for all Americans."

RELATED: Some Valley school districts will stop requiring masks after winter break

RELATED: Arizona AG defends Phoenix police, firefighter unions in suit against city's vaccination mandate

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