James Blocks Trump’s HHS Dismantling Order

New York – In a stunning victory for public health, Attorney General Letitia James today secured a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This move ensures continued access to critical programs like Head Start and poverty assistance, saving lives in the process.

On May 5th, James led a coalition of 19 other attorneys general in a lawsuit against the administration’s directive, which threatened vital HHS functions. Today’s court order halts mass layoffs at key agencies, including those responsible for infectious disease monitoring and maternal health teams.

The injunction comes after Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a sweeping restructuring of HHS on March 27th. The overhaul collapsed 28 agencies into 15, terminated 10,000 employees without warning, and left many HHS offices in disarray.

“HHS is the backbone of our nation’s public health and social safety net,” said Attorney General James. “Today’s order guarantees these programs will remain accessible and halts the administration’s attempt to sabotage our healthcare system.”

The lawsuit argued that the unlawful overhaul immediately endangered lives, cutting off federal support for Head Start centers and nearly shuttering disease monitoring at the CDC. The administration also terminated the entire team responsible for updating federal poverty guidelines.

Joining James in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The case continues to unfold as the nation watches closely.