New York Attorney General Letitia James and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong have joined with the attorneys general of 23 other states to sue the Trump Administration in an effort to stop the dismantling of AmeriCorps, which is active throughout the U.S. In fiscal year 2024, Congress appropriated $1.26 billion for the AmeriCorps Agency, including its two major programs: AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors.
The lawsuit names as defendants the Corporation for National and Community Service operating as AmeriCorps and based in Washington, D.C., and Jennifer Bastress Tahmasebi in her official capacity as interim head of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
AmeriCorps staff and volunteers have been providing essential services including disaster relief, community health programs, veteran services, poverty alleviation, and more. Beginning on April 15, AmeriCorps began placing hundreds of staff on administrative leave with plans to terminate them at the end of the month at the request of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As of April 25, about 80% of AmeriCorps’ grants were cancelled.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Maryland and seeks a court order that declares the Trump Administration’s actions violated the law. The suit seeks a court order to permanently stop the administration from dismantling AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps has operated since 1993 as an independent federal agency, supporting more than 200,000 unpaid members and volunteers each year who serve in communities throughout the country. These members operate disaster relief, anti-poverty, education, environmental protection, community health, and veterans’ programs in every state.
In New York state, AmeriCorps members provide a range of services at more than 300 locations. The services include tutoring and mentoring for students, housing assistance and legal services, environmental restoration, support for veterans and military families, and opioid addiction services. More than $30 million in AmeriCorps grants to New York were among those abruptly canceled on April 25 and 1,200 AmeriCorps members were suddenly cut off from their income and benefits.
A recent report by AmeriCorps said that in Connecticut its people served at more than 200 locations across the state, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veterans facilities, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations. AmeriCorps joined with businesses, foundations, public agencies, and other sources in Connecticut to generate more than $2.9 million in resources to supplement taxpayer dollars.
“For decades, AmeriCorps members have dedicated themselves to serving others, working to improve lives and strengthen communities throughout our nation,” said James. “AmeriCorps volunteers and staff represent what’s best about our country: a spirit of service and commitment to others that we need now more than ever. The Trump administration’s illegal attempt to gut AmeriCorps will hurt this program which promotes civic pride and public service.”
Joining James and Tong in filing the lawsuit were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, along with the states of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
