20 state attorneys general sue Trump administration over health department cuts

The lawsuit, spearheaded by New York Attorney General Letitia James, challenges the Trump administration's decision to consolidate the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 28 agencies down to 15.

This restructuring has led to the termination of roughly 20,000 employees, including 3,500 at the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1,200 at the National Institutes of Health.

"This administration is not streamlining the federal government; they are sabotaging it," James said during a press conference.

"When you fire the scientists who research infectious diseases, silence the doctors who care for pregnant people, and shut down the programs that help firefighters and miners breathe or children thrive, you are not making America healthy — you are putting countless lives at risk."

The HHS framed the cuts as part of a broader "government efficiency" effort and announced the creation of a new agency, the Administration for a Healthy America, to take over selected functions from the defunct programs.

However, the lawsuit argues that this new structure cannot replace the expertise and services lost and warns of "severe, complicated, drawn-out, and potentially irreversible" damage to public health.

Mental health, disease monitoring, and poverty programs hit hard

The legal complaint details how the restructuring gutted programs central to mental health, disease tracking, and low-income assistance.

According to the plaintiffs, half the staff at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has been terminated, halting the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and dismantling the federal team behind the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

"The federal government has cut lab capacity so much that they have all but stopped testing for measles in the middle of an unprecedented measles outbreak," James noted, highlighting how the CDC lost key labs and staff overseeing tobacco control and maternal mortality.

Though the Trump administration claims some programs, such as the World Trade Center Health Program and the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program, will continue under the new agency, an internal memo obtained by NBC News shows that many of those workers have been placed on leave and face termination in June.

The attorneys general are seeking a court injunction to immediately halt further cuts and reinstate the dismantled agencies and programs.

Mounting resistance to federal overreach

The lawsuit by 20 attorneys general reflects a growing national resistance to what many see as federal overreach under the Trump administration.

Across sectors, legal battles are emerging in response to sweeping cuts and controversial mandates.

In April, California filed suit over sweeping tariffs that it claims unfairly target the state's economy.

Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized that "the president doesn't have the unilateral authority to impose one of the largest tax increases in US history."

Soon after, Harvard University challenged the administration in federal court over the freezing of billions in research funding.

The university contends the cuts followed its refusal to comply with political demands tied to diversity policies and management autonomy. "We will not surrender our independence or our constitutional rights," said Harvard President Alan Garber.

Earlier in March, Voice of America journalists took legal action after mass suspensions and funding cuts disrupted international broadcasting.

The lawsuit alleges violations of press freedom and federal law, as the administration moved to dismantle the US Agency for Global Media, affecting outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.

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