Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding

Court Ruling on AmeriCorps Funding

• ⚖️ A federal judge in Maryland has ordered the Trump administration to restore millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funding that was previously slashed.
• 🎯 The ruling came after over two dozen states sued the administration in April over cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
• 💰 Approximately $557 million will be returned to critical services and jobs across at least 26 states that filed the lawsuit.

Lawsuit Details and Ruling Scope

• 🏛️ Judge Deborah Borman determined that the Trump administration overstepped its authority by eliminating numerous AmeriCorps grants.
• 🤝 The ruling favored the plaintiffs, consisting of 24 states led by Democratic governors and the District of Columbia, who are expected to see their funding restored.
• ⚠️ Funding will not be restored for the 26 Republican-led states that did not join the lawsuit, unless the White House intervenes.

Impact of Cuts in Affected States

• 🚒 In Iowa, a volunteer leader shared how their team's work on wildfire mitigation and hurricane relief was halted.
• 🏠 Many AmeriCorps volunteers, who often lived on-site, lost their housing and have already been exited from the system, creating practical challenges for program restoration.
• 📉 The judge's ruling does not affect the Trump administration's plan to cut 85% of AmeriCorps support staff, with those cuts expected to become permanent.