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Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, as part of a multistate coalition, announced he will file a lawsuit today challenging the Trump Administration’s termination of AmeriCorps grants and the dismantling of the DEI-focused agency through an 85 percent reduction of its workforce, effectively ending the agency’s ability to continue administering programs and operations as usual.
Before getting into Tong's lawsuit, it's worth remembering that Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), the Chairman of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, chaired a hearing in December 2024 titled, "Examining the Policies and Priorities of AmeriCorps and Its FY 2024 Audit Failure."
After the hearing Owens issued an alarming statement about AmeriCorps, which receives over $1 billion in taxpayer money every year, and its "long history of abusing taxpayer dollars" which includes failing eight consecutive audits and being unable to detect fraud.
On top of that, the Subcommittee learned that the Biden-Harris Administration had been "routing its radical climate change agenda through AmeriCorps funding," specifically citing the 'American Climate Corps' (ACC) initiative announced by Biden in September 2023 to achieve so-called "environmental justice."
"It makes no sense to expand this agency or give it more money when it continuously fails to meet basic accountability standards. Every time its representatives come before this Committee, AmeriCorps assures us that they will implement reforms, and year after year nothing changes," said Owens' statement. "It is time to admit that this is a failed program that needs a complete overhaul or elimination. It should be on DOGE’s chopping block."
And that is exactly where AmeriCorps ended up -- on the chopping block.
Now democrats, including all of Connecticut's Washington delegation, are apoplectic, and have launched yet another legal challenge.
“Gutting AmeriCorps is an irrational, cruel and lawless blow to communities across Connecticut and the proud, longstanding tradition of giving back in our country. AmeriCorps members and senior volunteers in Connecticut help keep food pantries running, tutor children, assist homebound seniors, support our veterans, help combat the opioid epidemic, and more. Trump has zero authority to bypass Congress to unilaterally dismantle this important work,” said Attorney General Tong.
“AmeriCorps’ hard-working volunteers across Connecticut have supported a variety of critical needs in our state from disaster recovery to public health outreach to youth mentoring. Trump and Musk are recklessly decimating community programs with proven success— another gut punch to dedicated public servants. Patriotic volunteers simply seek to give back to our nation and deserve better than Trump’s back of the hand. This cruel, shortsighted step shortchanges the nation, and I am pleased to see Attorney General Tong challenge these draconian cuts in the courts,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
“Slashing a program that puts thousands of young Americans to work serving their country and communities is downright reckless—it cripples disaster relief, undercuts education, and weakens public health where it’s needed most,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). “If you’re cutting national service while handing tax breaks to billionaires, you’re not serving the country—you’re serving yourself and your megarich buddies.”
“President Trump and Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ is dismantling AmeriCorps by firing workers, dismissing volunteers nationwide, and terminating hundreds of millions of dollars in approved funding for youth, senior, and veterans’ services. No administration has the right to shutter these programs without support from Congress. I applaud Attorney General Tong and the coalition of states suing in court to protect our nation’s premiere national service agency from these drastic cuts and stand with the volunteers, including Connecticut residents, who were dismissed with no explanation by the Trump Administration,” said Congressman John Larson (CT-1).
“State attorneys general are once again taking an important case to court to reverse Elon Musk’s unconstitutional decision to decimate AmeriCorps. I’m all for making our government work more efficiently, but indiscriminately slashing yet another agency that provides essential services to children, seniors, and veterans – including eastern CT’s highly successful Veterans’ Coffee House program – will not achieve that goal. The free rein Elon Musk and DOGE have been given to cut services without oversight is irresponsible and cruel,” said Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2).
“The Trump Administration’s decision to dismiss National Civilian Community Corps student volunteers and move forward with mass layoffs at AmeriCorps is an attack on public service and civic engagement,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3). “These young people commit themselves to disaster relief, environmental protection, and community rebuilding. That is not waste. It’s exactly what government should do-improve the lives of Americans. I thank Attorney General Tong for continuing to fight back in court against hurtful policies like this one.”
“Elon and DOGE seem to think AmeriCorps volunteers – who selflessly dedicate themselves to their fellow Americans by aiding in disaster recovery, delivering meals to the elderly, and supporting our veterans – qualify as waste, fraud, and abuse. He, and the rest of the officials involved need to justify that assessment before a judge and the American people. I’m proud that Connecticut, alongside a coalition of other states, is fighting back against the Trump Administration’s unlawful termination of the AmeriCorps’ staff and funding,” said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4).
"AmeriCorps programs are vital in empowering people to collaborate with local and state entities, addressing the most pressing challenges in our communities. The actions from the Executive Office and DOGE will disrupt essential services and betray the commitment to making a difference through service and volunteerism that AmeriCorps embodies. I support efforts by the attorneys general in challenging these absurd and ill-willed actions by the administration. It is imperative we ensure that AmeriCorps can continue its crucial work and that the intent of Congress in funding this organization is upheld,” said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-5).
In early February, the Trump Administration issued an executive order directing every federal agency to plan to reduce the size of its workforce and prepare to initiate in large-scale reductions in force. Since then, AmeriCorps has placed at least 85 percent of its workforce on administrative leave immediately and notified employees that they would be terminated effective June 24, 2025.
On April 25th, Connecticut received notice from the federal government of termination of its AmeriCorps grant programs.
In the complaint today, Attorney General Tong and a multistate coalition argue that by canceling critical grants and gutting AmeriCorps’ workforce, the Trump Administration is effectively "shuttering the national volunteer agency and ending states’ abilities to support AmeriCorps programs within their borders."
The coalition argues that the Trump Administration has "acted unlawfully in its gutting of AmeriCorps, violating both the Administrative Procedures Act and the separation of powers under the U.S. Constitution. Congress has created AmeriCorps and the programs it administers, and the President cannot incapacitate the agency’s ability to administer appropriated grants or carry out statutorily assigned duties. Further, by dismantling AmeriCorps and its programs, which are creatures of Congress, The Trump Administration’s has violated the Executive Branch’s obligation to take care that the law is faithfully executed."
In bringing today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Tong joins the attorneys general of Maryland, Delaware, California, Colorado, Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia and the states of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
