Letitia James leads multistate lawsuit to block Trump HHS cuts
New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken a stand against the Trump administration’s cuts to public health funding and the Department of Health and Human Services, leading a coalition of 20 states in a lawsuit to challenge what she describes as the most sweeping and unlawful assault on public health in U.S. history.
During a press conference, James highlighted the detrimental effects of these cuts on Americans across the country. She accused the administration of violating numerous laws and regulations by firing thousands of HHS employees in an attempt to reduce the overall workforce by 20,000 people and closing essential health programs.
“This administration is not streamlining the federal government; they are sabotaging it,” James declared. She emphasized the risks posed by these cuts, such as the firing of scientists researching infectious diseases, silencing doctors caring for pregnant individuals, and shutting down programs that support firefighters, miners, and children.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, aims to halt the unlawful dismantling of HHS, stop mass firings, and restore life-saving programs that millions of Americans rely on. Joined by attorneys general from 19 other states and the District of Columbia, James and her fellow plaintiffs accuse the Trump administration of erasing decades of public health progress and leaving HHS unable to fulfill its vital functions.
The lawsuit specifically targets actions such as terminating full-time employees, consolidating agencies, and closing regional offices, which the plaintiffs argue violate Congressional instructions, the U.S. Constitution, and governing statutes. James cited the administration’s reduction in measles testing amid an outbreak and the impact on labs like New York’s Wadsworth Center, which detects rare infectious diseases.
The layoffs announced by HHS in March and April, including at the FDA, CDC, and NIH, drew criticism for their impact on SNAP and Medicaid eligibility determinations, maternal health, mental health, and substance abuse services. The plaintiffs contend that these actions were unnecessary given steady or growing Congressional appropriations.
In their lawsuit, the states seek to halt the dismantling of HHS-led agencies and programs, declaring them unconstitutional and illegal. This legal action is part of ongoing challenges by James and other Democratic attorneys general against the Trump administration’s policies.
As the lawsuit progresses, Attorney General Letitia James remains committed to protecting public health and ensuring that essential services are maintained for all Americans. The fight to preserve vital health programs and prevent further harm to the nation’s well-being continues as states unite to hold the administration accountable for its actions.
