FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2025
April 21, 2025
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
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Government Employee Unions and Oxfam America Seek Court Ruling to Stop USAID Shutdown
Administration’s Actions Ignore Constitutional Limits, Have Harmed Aid Organizations And Communities Worldwide
WASHINGTON — In the face of continued efforts by the Trump-Vance administration to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and Oxfam America, represented by Democracy Forward and Public Citizen Litigation Group, filed a brief urging the court to block the administration’s unlawful actions to shut down USAID.
The administration’s unlawful dismantling of USAID has already led to the termination of most foreign assistance programs, displaced thousands of public servants, and triggered humanitarian fallout around the world. The filing makes clear that the case concerns an unprecedented, unlawful attempt by the Executive Branch to eliminate a congressionally established federal agency without proper authorization.
“USAID is more than a government agency—it’s a cornerstone of America’s global leadership and an irreplaceable tool of our soft power,” said Tom Yazdgerdi, AFSA President. “The administration’s attempt to dismantle it not only violates the law, it undermines U.S. national security and harms the patriotic public servants who have spent their lives advancing peace and supporting America’s prosperity and stability. AFSA stands with our members and partners in defense of this vital institution.”
“The administration’s unlawful dismantling of USAID is an attack on America’s vital humanitarian mission around the world and the dedicated public servants who carry out that mission every day,” said Everett Kelley, AFGE National President. “AFGE stands shoulder to shoulder with our allies in this fight—we will not allow this administration to erase the essential work of our members or to silence the voices protecting America’s interests abroad. We will continue fighting to restore these critical jobs and safeguard the lifesaving work our members perform every day.”
“Just 90 days since the Trump administration froze foreign aid, we have already seen deadly consequences for women, children, and communities across the world,” said Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America. “People living through unthinkable circumstances have now been deprived of lifesaving food, water, and health and hygiene support. With the administration announcing further cuts, their suffering will grow exponentially as needs rise. We know humanitarian programs save lives and help build a more stable world for communities in crisis and for us all, so we are still fighting this illegal and ugly attack on USAID.”
The administration has terminated nearly 90% of USAID’s foreign assistance awards and initiated a sweeping reduction-in-force of its global workforce. The record in this case shows that officials are attempting to “retire USAID’s independent operation” by transferring its functions to the State Department by September 2025, despite conceding that abolishing the agency would require legislation that does not exist.
“The facts are not in dispute: the administration has unlawfully moved to dissolve a vital federal agency created by Congress to advance U.S. interests and global stability,” said Kaitlyn Golden, Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward. “This filing reinforces the strength of our constitutional system: no president has the power to unilaterally erase laws or agencies they disagree with. We are proud to be alongside workers and advocates to stop this lawless attempt to destroy USAID.”
“Shuttering USAID has unequivocally led to death, famine, and immiseration,” said Lauren Bateman, attorney at Public Citizen Litigation Group. “The unilateral dissolution of the agency is both a dreadful moral stain on the Administration and an unprecedented overreach of executive power. Our efforts to blunt the attacks on USAID have been an attempt both to save lives and to vindicate a basic principle this nation was founded on: the separation of powers is essential to preserve liberty.”
Read the filing here.
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