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24 States Sue Trump Administration Over AmeriCorps Cuts

The lawsuit accuses the administration of unlawfully dismantling the federal volunteer agency by slashing its workforce and canceling $400 million in grants.

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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
A boy receives help with homework exercises from AmeriCorps-funded volunteers at the Arab American Association of New York office in Bay Ridge in 2010.

Overview

  • A coalition of Democratic-led states and D.C. filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's drastic cuts to AmeriCorps, citing constitutional violations.
  • The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reduced AmeriCorps' workforce by 85% and terminated nearly $400 million in grants, affecting over 1,000 programs nationwide.
  • States argue the cuts violate the separation of powers, as Congress created and funds AmeriCorps, and claim the actions render the agency incapable of fulfilling its mission.
  • The White House defends the cuts, citing over $40 million in improper payments and consecutive audit failures at AmeriCorps as justification for the cost-cutting measures.
  • AmeriCorps, which deploys over 200,000 volunteers annually for disaster relief, education, and public health, has seen bipartisan criticism over the impact of these reductions on essential community services.