James Shuts Down Trump’s Agency Demolition

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James has delivered a decisive blow to the Trump administration, securing a court order permanently blocking the dismantling of four federal agencies. The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a motion for summary judgment today, effectively ending the administration’s attempt to gut crucial services for libraries, museums, minority-owned businesses, workers, and the unhoused.

The legal battle began in April when Attorney General James co-led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in suing the administration over an Executive Order targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). The administration’s move was widely seen as a brazen attempt to undermine vital public services with no Congressional backing.

“The federal government’s illegal attack on these agencies threatened vital resources for workers, small businesses, and the most vulnerable in our communities,” Attorney General James stated bluntly. “This is a major victory in our ongoing work to defend important services that New Yorkers rely on every day. I will keep fighting to stop the chaos and destruction of this administration’s attempts to dismantle our government.” The agencies targeted provide essential support; IMLS fuels museums and libraries, MBDA fosters minority business growth, FMCS mediates labor disputes, and USICH coordinates efforts to combat homelessness.

The coalition initially secured a preliminary injunction in May, halting the immediate implementation of the Executive Order. In June, they expanded the lawsuit to include USICH, rounding out the quartet of agencies the administration had marked for elimination. The core argument throughout the legal proceedings centered on the administration’s overreach – the president lacks the authority to unilaterally eliminate agencies created and funded by Congress. Attempting to do so, the attorneys general argued, was a clear violation of both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act.

The District Court sided firmly with Attorney General James and her fellow attorneys general, ruling the administration’s actions unlawful. The court’s decision bars the administration from taking any further steps to dismantle the four agencies, effectively slamming the door on this attempt at bureaucratic demolition. This isn’t just a win for New York, but for communities across the nation that depend on these critical services.

Leading the charge alongside Attorney General James were the attorneys general of Rhode Island and Hawaii. The coalition also included representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. This broad bipartisan alliance underscores the widespread opposition to the administration’s attempt to dismantle vital federal programs and highlights the importance of defending institutions established to serve the public good.