Particle.news

Download on the App Store

24 States Sue Trump Administration Over AmeriCorps Cuts

The lawsuit challenges the legality of dismantling the federal service program, citing constitutional violations and community harm.

FILE - As President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton mark the 20th anniversary of the AmeriCorps national service program, hundreds of new volunteers are sworn in for duty at a ceremony, Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Image
U.S. President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One as he departs for Michigan to attend a rally to celebrate his first 100 days in office, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
AmeriCorps’ sign

Overview

  • A coalition of 24 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., filed a federal lawsuit on April 29, alleging the Trump administration unlawfully gutted AmeriCorps by slashing its workforce and canceling $400 million in grants.
  • The cuts, directed by the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk, placed 85% of AmeriCorps staff on leave and affected over 1,000 community programs nationwide.
  • State attorneys general argue that the administration's actions violate the U.S. Constitution's separation of powers, as AmeriCorps was established and funded by Congress.
  • AmeriCorps, a 30-year-old agency with a $1 billion budget, supports 200,000 volunteers annually in disaster relief, education, and conservation projects across the U.S.
  • States like California and Colorado are expanding their own service corps to address the void left by the cuts, while legal challenges seek to halt the dismantling of the federal program.