Overview

• Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed California has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration and DOGE over the abrupt shutdown of AmeriCorps' National Civilian Community Corps.
• The AmeriCorps program, which has provided disaster relief and community services since 1999, was dismantled following DOGE's cost-cutting measures, leading to the dismissal of thousands of employees on April 15, 2025.
• Newsom criticized the federal government’s actions, calling them a betrayal of volunteers and a weakening of critical community and disaster response infrastructure.
• California will accelerate recruitment for its own Service Corps to mitigate the impact of the federal cuts, with plans to expand volunteer efforts across the state.
• AmeriCorps teams have historically contributed over 8 million service hours to nearly 3,400 disaster projects, including recent wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles.