Two dozen states filed a lawsuit Tuesday over dramatic cuts to Americorps, alleging the Trump administration is trying to “dismantle” the volunteer service organization as part of its sweeping federal cost-cutting campaign.
Americorps has put 85% of its staff on administrative leave ahead of planned job cuts, the lawsuit says. The agency has also allegedly slashed its National Civilian Community Corps, which sends volunteers to work on conservation, natural disaster response and other projects, and cut hundreds of millions in grants, covering 41% of the agency’s budget.
The lawsuit argues the cuts — which it links to President Trump’s federal cost-cutting push, led by the Department of Government Efficiency — violate federal law and constitutional separation of powers, since Congress created and funded Americorps.
“If the Defendants’ actions are permitted to stand despite their statutory and constitutional defects, then the gutting of AmeriCorps will inflict immediate and irreparable harms on the Plaintiff States, their residents, and the public at large,” reads the lawsuit, which was filed in Maryland federal court and led by California, Colorado, Delaware and Maryland.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement: “Americorps has failed eight consecutive audits and identified over $45 million in improper payments in 2024 alone. President Trump has the legal right to restore accountability to the entire Executive Branch.”
Americorps’ inspector general said in November the agency “has been unable to produce auditable financial statements for the last eight years,” and recommended changes to the agency’s financial practices.
Founded in 1993, Americorps oversees around 200,000 members, most of whom receive living stipends, and employs hundreds of people. It funds both directly operated programs, like the National Civilian Community Corps and grant-funded programs overseen by states.
The Americorps grants targeted to be eliminated by the Trump administration amount to nearly $400 million, hitting volunteer programs in all 50 states, according to the nonprofit America’s Service Commissions.
In a statement, America’s Service Commissions said the cuts came late Friday with no advanced notice.
“Thousands of people who have steadfastly dedicated their lives to serving their country through AmeriCorps are finding their livelihoods suddenly thrown into jeopardy, and hundreds of communities are losing critical services they rely on,” ASC CEO Kaira Esgate said.
After the drastic cuts to grants were announced last week, every California service-based program with AmeriCorps was told to stop working.
“These actions by President Trump and Elon Musk not only threaten our funding – they vandalize our values. We’re going to fight to stop them,” California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement about the AmeriCorps cuts.
California’s AmeriCorps volunteers amassed a total of 4,397,674 of service hours during the 2023-24 year, according to the governor’s office.
Newsom noted that California has already been recruiting for its own California Service Corps program, a pool of volunteers that he says is now larger than the Peace Corps.
“Service sits at the very core of who we are as Americans. California is suing the Trump administration to defend thousands of hardworking service members and the communities they serve,” Newsom said.
