Chicago – Attorney General Raoul won a court order on Thursday that blocks the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.
On April 29, Attorney General Raoul joined a coalition of 25 states and attorneys general in challenging the administration’s plans to eliminate nearly 85% of AmeriCorps’ workforce and terminate $400 million worth of AmeriCorps-supported programs, among other actions. Attorney General Raoul and the coalition sought a preliminary injunction to immediately stop the closure of programs in plaintiff states. On Thursday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland granted the preliminary injunction, ordering defendants to restore all programs that had been terminated in plaintiff states by reinstating and returning to service the AmeriCorps members who served on those programs, and ordering the reinstatement of over 750 National Civilian Community Corps members.
“More than 1 million Americans have participated in AmeriCorps because they wanted to serve veterans and children, protect the environment and improve the quality of life in their communities,” Raoul said. “AmeriCorps supports programs that serve states’ most vulnerable residents, and the abrupt termination of grants and programs has far-reaching impacts. I am pleased the court granted our preliminary injunction, and I will continue to stand with other states to defend AmeriCorps and fight the Trump administration’s callous attack on an agency that represents the best in America.”
Attorney General Raoul and the coalition successfully argued that the Trump administration’s termination of more than 1,000 programs and the removal of certain members from service violated the law. By closing $400 million worth of AmeriCorps programs without explanation, the Trump administration harmed states that administer those programs and the veterans, K-12 students, vulnerable seniors and residents who depend upon their services. In Illinois, the Trump administration canceled 26 grants managed by Serve Illinois, which served students, veterans and individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as other programs across the state. These cancelations impacted hundreds of AmeriCorps members and the individuals they served and disrupted schools, health systems and services, food banks and other critical community agencies upon which Illinoisans rely.
A federal judge found that the Trump administration’s actions were unlawful because Congress explicitly required the agency to provide advance notice and an opportunity to comment on an any major changes to AmeriCorps services. The Trump administration ignored this clear legal requirement, and the court granted relief to the plaintiff states as a consequence.
The order restores vital AmeriCorps programs in Illinois. The court’s decision preliminarily stops the Trump administration from terminating these essential programs while the litigation continues.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
