HHS lawsuit by Democratic AGs aims to stop restructuring, layoffs

Modern Healthcare – Monday, May 5, 2025
By Hayley Desilva

Twenty Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to undo the Trump administration’s sweeping reorganization of the Health and Human Services Department under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The suit, filed in federal court in Rhode Island against Kennedy, HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and certain administrators, alleges the sweeping elimination of jobs and offices has had “potentially irreversible” effects on terminated and current employees, programs and states.

Participating in the suit are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

Under Kennedy and the Trump administration, 10,000 HHS employees have been laid off, several agencies as well as half of all regional offices have been closed and numerous health-related programs have been defunded or eliminated. The moves are part of HHS’ restructuring under Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency.”

The suit alleges the cuts are unlawful and a violation of Congress’ instruction and the Constitution. It also alleges several states are dealing with impacts of the cuts, and that HHS no longer has the resources it needs to function.

“Congress created HHS and has invested enormous sums into it every year without interruption, and the congressional mandates remain in place today,” the attorneys general said in the suit. “Much of that investment was lost in a day through the massive firings of HHS’s leaders and staff. More will be lost if nothing is done.”

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