Twenty Democrat-led states file a federal lawsuit challenging HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s staff cuts and restructuring, calling the actions illegal and unconstitutional attempts to dismantle critical public health infrastructure.
Quick Takes
- A coalition of 20 blue states sued to block Kennedy’s directive to terminate 10,000 HHS employees and close regional offices
- The lawsuit claims the cuts violate the Administrative Procedure Act and bypass Congress’s constitutional authority on funding
- Kennedy defends the $1.8 billion in cuts as necessary to eliminate waste and inefficiency in federal bureaucracy
- States report immediate negative impacts including halted work, abandoned experiments, and suspended disease testing
- The legal complaint, filed in Rhode Island federal court, seeks to reverse the firings and restore health services
Blue States Challenge HHS Restructuring
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading a coalition of 20 states in a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration over sweeping cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services. The legal challenge targets HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s directive to eliminate 10,000 positions, consolidate department divisions, and close regional offices across the country. Filed in the U.S. District Court for Rhode Island, the lawsuit represents a significant pushback against one of the administration’s early restructuring efforts, with plaintiffs arguing the cuts have already created chaos within vital health programs serving millions of Americans.
The blue states, including California, New York, and Washington, claim Kennedy’s actions violate both constitutional boundaries and proper administrative procedure. Their primary argument centers on separation of powers, contending that the administration cannot unilaterally dismantle a department created by Congress or redirect funds that lawmakers specifically appropriated for health services. This marks the 17th lawsuit Bonta’s office has filed against the Trump administration since the president’s return to office in January.
Nineteen Democratic-led states plus the District of Columbia sued HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday, saying his ongoing reorganization of the federal health bureaucracy incapacitated core functions and deprived the states of federal funds and expertise.
The lawsuit… https://t.co/HJPk2gzWKF pic.twitter.com/es5RPXhurL
— Melissa Hallman (@dotconnectinga) May 5, 2025
Immediate Impacts Described
The lawsuit provides detailed allegations about the immediate consequences of Kennedy’s April 1st directive. According to the legal filing, when termination notices were distributed and employees immediately lost access to their work systems, critical functions throughout the department ground to a halt. The plaintiffs paint a picture of organizational disarray with potentially serious public health implications, particularly affecting agencies like the CDC, FDA, and other divisions focused on public health and welfare programs.
“On April 1, 2025, when the termination notices went out and employees were immediately expelled from their work email, laptops, and offices, work across the vast and complicated Department came to a sudden halt,” according to the lawsuit. “Throughout HHS, critical offices were left unable to perform statutory functions. There was no one to answer the phone, factories went into shutdown mode, experiments were abandoned, trainings were canceled, site visits were postponed, application portals were closed, laboratories stopped testing for infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, and partnerships were immediately suspended.” stated the lawsuit.
Specific disruptions cited in the complaint include the FDA missing vaccine application deadlines and canceling critical testing for bird flu virus. Programs like Head Start, which serves low-income children and families, have reportedly been impacted, along with infectious disease monitoring systems that help protect public health across state lines. The closure of regional offices, including the San Francisco location, has drawn particular criticism from lawmakers like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called the move “shortsighted.”
Kennedy Defends Restructuring Efforts
Kennedy and the administration have vigorously defended the restructuring as both legal and necessary. The HHS Secretary maintains the changes align with an executive order to eliminate waste and inefficiency in federal bureaucracy. According to Kennedy, the cuts – estimated to save $1.8 billion annually – are part of a strategic effort to refocus the department’s resources toward priorities including addressing chronic illness through safe food, clean water, and eliminating environmental toxins.
“The Trump Administration does not have the power to incapacitate a department that Congress created, nor can it decline to spend funds that were appropriated by Congress for that department” expressed the administration.
While maintaining that the restructuring is proper and within executive authority, Kennedy has acknowledged there could be some errors in implementation. In recent statements, he estimated that perhaps 20% of the reductions might be considered mistakes that could be rectified. The states, however, are seeking much broader remedies through their lawsuit – demanding that the court declare the cuts illegal, block their continued implementation, and reverse the terminations that have already occurred. As the legal battle unfolds, it highlights fundamental tensions between Trump administration efficiency initiatives and Democrat-led states concerned about impacts to federal health programs.
Sources:
- 20 Blue States Sue to Reverse HHS Cuts
- California and other states sue to block Trump administration cuts to health department
