FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2025
April 28, 2025
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Massive Coalition of Unions, Non-Profit Groups, and Local Governments File Omnibus Challenge to Unconstitutional Reorganization of Federal Government
Reorganization and Massive Reductions in Force Across Federal Agencies Violate Core Constitutional Concepts of Separation of Powers
WASHINGTON – A coalition that includes nationwide labor organizations, vital non-profit groups, and local cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington all united today to challenge the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government underway without legislative authority. The coalition is represented by Democracy Forward, Altshuler Berzon LLP, Protect Democracy, the Public Rights Project, and State Democracy Defenders Fund.
The coalition includes the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and four AFGE locals; American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and SEIU Local 1000; Alliance for Retired Americans, American Geophysical Union; American Public Health Association; Center for Taxpayer Rights; Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks; Common Defense; Main Street Alliance; NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council); Northeast Organic Farming Association Inc.; VoteVets; Western Watersheds Project; City and County of San Francisco, California; County of Santa Clara, California; City of Chicago, Illinois; City of Baltimore, Maryland; Harris County, Texas; and King County, Washington. The case, AFGE v. Trump, was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
“The Trump administration’s reckless attempt to dismantle our government without congressional approval threatens vital services Americans depend on every day — from caring for veterans and safeguarding public health, to protecting our environment and maintaining national security,” said American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley. “This illegal power grab would gut federal agencies, disrupt communities nationwide, and put critical public services at risk. AFGE is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this coalition to protect not just the patriotic public servants we represent, but the integrity of American government and the essential services that our nation deserves.”
Statements from all of the plaintiffs and counsel in the case are here.
This is the largest and most significant challenge to Trump’s authority to remake the government without Congressional approval. The case seeks a court’s intervention to stop the implementation of the President’s unlawful Executive Order 14210 (Implementing the President’s ‘‘Department of Government Efficiency’’ Workforce Optimization Initiative), which violates the Constitution’s fundamental separation of powers principles. Federal agencies were required to submit for approval Agency Reductions in Force and Reorganization Plans on April 14. Although the President’s Executive Order seeks to radically reorganize and deconstruct federal agencies through massive reductions in force, the groups make clear in the filing that only Congress has the power to change the federal government in the ways the President has directed.
Read the complaint here.
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