Gongwer News Service
Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 23 other attorneys general in expanding the lawsuit that won a court order against President Donald Trump’s administration pulling funding for AmeriCorps.
However, Nessel said in a press release that while they secured a preliminary injunction in June that should have reinstated hundreds of AmeriCorp’s programs, the White House Office of Management and Budget is withholding vast sums of money for the programs.
In response, the lawsuit is adding the OMB as a defendant and bringing new legal claims against the agency.
“The Trump Administration cannot bend the rule of law to circumvent court orders they’ve already lost,” Nessel said in a statement. “My colleagues and I have already secured an injunction blocking their illegal and reckless attempt to withhold AmeriCorps funding – and OMB and Russell Vought, the administration’s architect of chaos, cannot override that decision or defy Congress’ appropriation. Once again, we must take action to ensure our communities continue to benefit from the vital services AmeriCorps provides.”
The lawsuit says OMB unlawfully withheld $38 million from the plaintiff states for AmeriCorps programs, including tens of millions from senior companion programs for mentorship of children in need, $5 million for service commissions and OMB is preparing to withhold $33 million for the next service year.
The states say that the Trump administration is violating the Administrative Procedures Act and separation of powers, in which the Congress created AmeriCorps and handles the funding for it, by withholding the money.
The Michigan Community Service Commission received $18 million in 2024 in grants from AmeriCorps, according to the press release, as well as 1,052 members of the Corps to improve parks and public lands, provide health services and youth with academic support and worked on crime reduction services in Detroit.
AmeriCorps grants also supported 32 MCSC programs and three planning grants, including supporting recovery efforts in Northern Michigan following the March ice storms.
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