Federal Accountability

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent guidance illegally restricting eligibility for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides monthly food benefits to low-income families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In California, SNAP, known as the CalFresh Program, is administered by the California Department of Social Services and is an essential hunger safety net to 5.5 million Californians each month. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta, along with a coalition of 21 other attorneys general, argue that USDA's guidance for implementing the “Big Beautiful Bill” erroneously excludes certain lawfully residing non-citizens from SNAP eligibility, when they in fact are eligible when they become lawful permanent residents. The attorneys general raise the alarm that, without court intervention, the guidance will cause errors in eligibility determinations, which could deprive thousands of legal permanent residents of food assistance and lead to devastating financial penalties for states.

“The Trump Administration is effectively depriving thousands of lawful permanent residents of food assistance benefits that Congress intended be available,” said Attorney General Bonta. “SNAP recipients are still recovering from the whiplash President Trump and his Administration put them through in seeking to block November SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. No President has ever worked harder to deprive hungry Americans of access to basic nutrition. Ahead of the holidays, we’re not giving up the fight. We’re asking a court to step in and stop the USDA from applying its faulty new guidance before any further damage can be done.” 

Section 10108 of the Big Beautiful Bill amended the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to eliminate SNAP eligibility for individuals who entered the U.S. as refugees, were granted asylum, or were granted humanitarian parole based on this status at the time of their admission or parole. The Big Beautiful Bill did not, however, prohibit individuals who once held the status of refugees, asylees, or parolees from gaining eligibility for SNAP if and when they adjust their status to become lawful permanent residents. In a letter to USDA last week, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition explained that USDA’s guidance incorrectly list refugees, individuals granted asylum, parolees, and deportation withheld as “not eligible” rather than stating they could become eligible for SNAP if they become lawful permanent residents. USDA’s guidance also incorrectly conveys that humanitarian entrants must wait five years after becoming legal permanent residents to qualify for SNAP benefits when these individuals should be eligible immediately after obtaining legal permanent resident status.

USDA’s multiple errors and late-coming guidance have caused significant confusion for the states that have been tasked with implementing new substantive limitations on SNAP eligibility. As a result, there is serious risk of an increase in errors as states struggle to reconcile their obligations under the federal statue with faulty, misleading agency guidance that strays from the law. Although federal regulations require a 120-day exclusionary period following the application of a new implementing memorandum of a mandatory change, USDA incorrectly states that the exclusionary period ended on November 1, 2025, just one day after the guidance was issued on Friday, October 31, 2025. 

In today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that USDA’s guidance is contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and should be vacated. They ask the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon to bar USDA from applying the guidance and from using effective date for the purpose of calculating states’ error rates.

Attorney General Bonta has vigorously defended SNAP benefits from attacks by the Trump Administration. During the recent government shutdown, Attorney General Bonta sued USDA to force them to fund November SNAP benefits. Not one, but two federal district courts determined that the Trump Administration acted unlawfully. And when the Administration responded by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to pause one court’s order requiring USDA to pay full benefits, Attorney General Bonta vigorously challenged that request, which was ultimately withdrawn after the government reopened. The SNAP program is now fully funded through September 2026. 

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New York, Oregon, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia in filing the lawsuit.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Los Angeles Press Club, et al. v. Kristi Noem, et al. supporting journalists and protesters challenging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) dangerous use of force during protests in Los Angeles this past summer. During the largely peaceful demonstrations that arose in response to the Trump Administration's sweeping immigration raids, federal agents deployed tear gas, pepper balls, rubber bullets, and other dangerous weapons “indiscriminately and with surprising savagery,” injuring peaceful protesters, legal observers, and journalists in the process. In a brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the attorneys general argue that the tactics employed by these federal agents, including their inappropriate use of dangerous crowd control weapons, infringed on the First Amendment rights of protesters and the media, while also failing to accomplish their purported goal of lessening public unrest. 

“The Trump Administration used dangerous weapons against peaceful protesters and journalists in an attempt to discourage communities nationwide from reporting on and protesting the President’s aggressive immigration raids,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We will not allow the federal government’s bully tactics to undermine Americans’ First Amendment rights. My office will continue to oppose threats to free, safe speech wherever and whenever they arise.” 

A group composed of the Los Angeles Press Club, NewsGuild – Communications Workers of America, three journalists, two individual protesters, and a legal observer filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The group sought injunctive relief to prevent DHS’ use of crowd control weapons and techniques at protests opposing the Trump Administration’s recent immigration raids in California. The group argued that DHS’ practices not only unnecessarily endanger civilians’ safety but violate protesters’ First Amendment rights and multiple rulings by federal courts regarding appropriate enforcement practices. The District Court granted the Plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction. That order has been appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 

In the amicus brief, the coalition of attorneys general urges the Ninth Circuit to uphold the District Court’s decision. The attorneys general argue that:

• Crowd control munitions should be deployed narrowly and when other options have been exhausted, as they can unnecessarily restrict First Amendment rights, cause serious injuries, and escalate rather than lessen unrest at protests;
• Law enforcement should proactively protect the press’ access to and safety at protests, rather than subjecting them to crowd control or attacks; and
• The DHS practices at issue in this case are not isolated, but instead part of a broader pattern of unlawful, nationwide actions by the federal government tied to the Trump Administration’s escalation of immigration enforcement.

In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Colorado, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Asks court to declare the restrictions unlawful and stop them from taking effect

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general and two governors in suing the Trump Administration over funding restrictions it recently placed on the Continuum of Care (CoC) grant program. CoC is the federal government’s flagship program for funding affordable housing and other services for individuals at risk of and experiencing homelessness. Seeking to implement President Trump’s “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets” Executive Order, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on November 13 that it would impose new restrictions on CoC funding. In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, the attorneys general argue that these restrictions are unlawful and would force tens of thousands formerly homeless individuals and their families back onto the street. The attorneys general are also filing a motion for a preliminary injunction because, among other things, they would experience irreparable harm if the restrictions remain in effect.

“Under both Democratic and Republican presidents, HUD’s Continuum of Care Program has helped states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations combat homelessness and provide safe, stable housing to our most vulnerable residents. This program has proven to be effective at getting Americans off the streets, yet the Trump Administration is now attempting to illegally slash its funding,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As a result, for the 47th time in 44 weeks, I’m taking President Trump to court. Those caring for our unhoused neighbors need the federal government’s continued support. Absent judicial intervention, the Trump Administration’s actions would only worsen the homelessness crisis.”

HUD’s new policies reverse the agency’s longstanding support for Housing First policies and fundamentally undermine the goal of providing dependable housing. Specifically, HUD’s new funding restrictions:

• Mandate that only 30 percent of CoC funds be used for permanent housing projects starting in 2026 — down from nearly 90 percent. Permanent housing projects are community-based initiatives designed to provide long-term, affordable housing to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Permanent housing projects often provide supportive services to individuals with disabilities (including mental health and substance use issues) to allow them to live independently.
• Significantly change the point system used to award grants, which will threaten permanent housing and disadvantage services for people with mental disabilities and substance use disorders.
• Change the CoC funding competition rules to reduce Tier 1 funding from 90 percent to 30 percent. Tier 1 funding is essentially guaranteed funding for housing projects that satisfy certain requirements. This ensures stability for individuals and families living in CoC-funded housing or receiving CoC-funded services.
• Eliminate funding to applicants that acknowledge the existence of transgender and gender-diverse people.
• Discriminate against localities whose approach to homelessness differs from this Administration’s by deducting points for applicants if they happen to be located in jurisdictions that do not enforce certain policies this Administration favors, like bans on public camping. 

In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the restrictions are illegal in numerous ways. The restrictions:

• Violate the Administrative Procedure Act because they are contrary to law, arbitrary and capricious, and failed to observe the notice-and-comment procedure required by HUD’s own rules.
• Constitute ultra vires agency action because the Trump Administration lacks the statutory authority to impose the restrictions. No provision of HUD’s authorizing statutes allows the agency to impose these terms, and the statutes authorizing HUD to administer specific grant programs also preclude their imposition.
• Violate the Separation of Powers, since none of the restrictions were imposed by Congress. The President cannot directly and unilaterally amend or cancel appropriations Congress has duly enacted, nor can he order federal agencies to do so.
• Violate the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which is vested in Congress — not the President.
• Violate the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by requiring states to implement numerous policies favored by the Administration against their will, in order obtain federal funds.

States organize their own homelessness responses around the CoC program. California invests billions of dollars annually through programs including the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program, Homekey+, the Behavioral Health Services Act, CalAIM, and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. As part of this system, California provides funding to local governments, public housing authorities, and non-profits for housing, emergency shelter, and supportive services to reduce and end homelessness. California provides such funding to several CoC grantees, and some of which include state-funded capital or homeless services projects that leverage CoC-funded operating subsidies and services dollars to remain viable. 

In filing today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) has backed down following a multistate lawsuit and committed to drop illegal conditions on Victims of Crimes Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant funding. Last month, Attorney General Bonta joined 20 attorneys general in challenging a new condition prohibiting recipients of various public safety and victim services grants from using funding to provide legal services to undocumented immigrants. Many of the organizations that receive these funds provide critical wraparound services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and elder abuse — services that could be described as “legal” under U.S. DOJ’s vague definition — irrespective of an individual’s immigration status. With today’s stipulation and dismissal, Attorney General Bonta preserves California organizations’ ability to use the over $160 million in grant funding that the State received this year, and tens of millions of funding from prior years, to provide legal services to victims of crimes without unnecessary and unlawful restrictions. 

“Today’s decision marks another good outcome for California communities and the incredible organizations, programs, and services that support them,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration must stop playing games with peoples’ lives. Yanking funding from victims of crimes benefits no one. It only makes our communities less safe. While U.S. DOJ has backed down in the face of our litigation, these organizations did not deserve the whiplash of the past few months. California and our partner states will continue to fight back against President’s lawlessness and his callous disregard for our residents' safety and well-being.” 

In 2024, California subgrantees used victim assistance funds to serve nearly 1 million Californians, including supporting more than 100,000 victims and families on various civil legal matters. Among other things, this funding supports crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy, emergency shelter, and transitional housing assistance. It also supports law enforcement initiatives such as training officers on trauma-informed and victim-centered responses; developing specialized domestic violence or sexual assault units; and improving evidence collection in sexual assault and domestic violence cases. 

SECURING RELIEF FOR CALIFORNIANS 

Attorney General Bonta has filed 46 lawsuits against the Trump Administration in 43 weeks, with significant early victories and full and complete wins in litigation protecting California’s funding, programs, and services; safeguarding Californians’ rights and personal, private data; and preventing the dismantling of the federal government.   

Just last month, Attorney General Bonta secured a similar commitment from U.S. DOJ, following a separate multistate lawsuit, to drop its plan to impose illegal immigration enforcement conditions on over $1.3 billion in VOCA grants. He has also secured permanent injunctions blocking the Trump Administration’s effort to unlawfully impose immigration enforcement requirements on billions of dollars in annual transportation and homeland security grants and halting the Administration’s unlawful attempt to slash funding for a critical energy program. Attorney General Bonta also secured full and permanent relief for California schools in his lawsuits challenging the Trump Administration’s withholding of over $900 million in funding at the start of the school year and another $200 million in previously obligated and awarded funding for the academic recovery of students following the COVID-19 pandemic.  

While many cases are still ongoing, Attorney General Bonta has secured early relief in the vast majority of cases where he has sought and where a court has issued a ruling: blocking the Trump Administration’s attack on the Department of Health and Human Services; stopping its attempt to impose cruel new restrictions on access to public benefit programs like Head Start based on immigration status; preventing it from allowing ICE to comb through the private data of Medicaid recipients or from bullying states into turning over the data of SNAP recipients to aid in its mass deportation efforts; and safeguarding the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, among other decisions. 

You can find more on the California Department of Justice’s work to hold the federal government accountable here: https://oag.ca.gov/federal-accountability. 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granting a permanent injunction blocking the dismantling of several federal agencies “responsible for, among other things, funding museums and libraries, mediating labor disputes, supporting minority-owned businesses, and preventing and ending homelessness.” In its decision, the District Court concludes that the Trump Administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the Take Care Clause, and the Separation of Powers doctrine in its unilateral efforts to dismantle these agencies without Congressional approval.

“More and more, courts are rejecting — definitively and permanently — the Trump Administration’s illegal efforts to dismantle our government agencies and strip away the vital services they provide,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Our museums and libraries are how we pass along our knowledge, heritage, and history to each successive generation. I’m proud to protect these important institutions from President Trump’s misguided attacks. As the President seeks to censor speech he does not like, California will continue to defend the free flow of knowledge.”

In April 2025, Attorney General Bonta and a multistate coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful executive order directing several congressionally established agencies — including the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service — to eliminate every component and function not required by statute and reduce their statutorily required functions and associated staff to the minimum required by law. The executive order also directed the Office of Management and Budget to deny these agencies authorization to spend federal funds already allocated by Congress for any functions beyond the minimum required by statute. 

Today’s decision resolves the case in the coalition’s favor, permanently enjoining the Trump Administration from implementing the executive order with regards to the agencies at issue in the lawsuit. 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner who is challenging President Trump’s illegal attempt to fire her without cause.

A copy of the brief can be found here. 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general and two states in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to ensure that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) preserves funding for the Solar for All federal grant program while litigation is pending. In August, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency would terminate the Solar for All program, asserting the agency no longer had statutory authority to administer the funds. Administrator Zeldin’s directive terminated nearly $250 million in funds owed to California, where state agencies were preparing to build out community solar and associated clean energy projects. In October, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition challenged the Trump Administration in a pair of lawsuits over the unlawful termination of this funding. In today’s motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the coalition asks the District Court to freeze congressionally appropriated Solar for All funds — including both the funds still in the states’ accounts and the funds already taken out — so that the Court can restore the program later if the coalition is ultimately successful in their litigation. A preliminary injunction will ensure that the funds are protected from being moved outside of EPA, where they could become unrecoverable.

“Without the District Court’s intervention, states including California will experience irreparable harm from the EPA’s actions,” said Attorney General Bonta. “That’s why we, alongside a broad coalition of attorneys general, are filing this motion to protect funding for the Solar for All program—a nationwide program that promises to address climate change, stimulate the economy, and promote energy independence and grid reliability, while also lowering energy costs.”

In 2022, Congress appropriated $7 billion to EPA through the Inflation Reduction Act specifically to develop competitive grant programs to expand solar energy access nationwide. EPA designed the Solar for All program to provide financial and technical assistance for the deployment of zero-emission technology, including residential and distributed solar to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in low-income and disadvantaged communities. EPA issued 60 competitive awards in 2024 to states, municipalities, and non-profit organizations, ranging from $43.5 million to almost $250 million per recipient. 

In their motion, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that: 

• The states are likely to prevail in their claims that the Trump Administration’s actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act and congressional mandates. 
• The states will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief prohibiting EPA from de-obligating and reprogramming Solar for All funding. In California, state agencies were expecting to receive almost $250 million, including more than $200 million to build out community solar systems, which would enable California residents to obtain 20% monthly discounts on electricity bills in exchange for participating in the Solar for All program—primarily aimed at lower- and middle-income families. The funding also included $9 million for workforce training—enabling more California workers to acquire skills needed to help build a sustainable future. 
• The irreparable harms that would flow from EPA’s decision to move the Solar for All funds outside of the agency overwhelmingly favor preliminary injunctive relief.  

In filing today’s motion for a preliminary injunction, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Washington, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Also joining today’s filing are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.  

A copy of the motion can be found here.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom this week renewed their request that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California block the continued federalization and deployment of California National Guard troops in and around Los Angeles. After using isolated incidents of violence in June as a pretext to federalize the California National Guard, the Trump Administration implemented a months-long military occupation of the Los Angeles area, without any justification, and with no apparent end in sight. 

“The Trump Administration is holding California’s National Guard hostage, repeatedly extending their federalization and deployment without basis or justification,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “I urge the District Court to move swiftly and return our hardworking service members back to their regular duty and regular lives.”

“President Trump’s flirtation with authoritarianism must end. Full stop. No president gets to use the National Guard as a personal police force to go after American communities,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “We’re asking the courts — again — to step in, because this isn’t politics, it’s a threat to our democracy and to the safety of the Americans we serve.” 

Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision clarifying the jurisdiction of the District Court to hear Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom’s challenge to the extension orders, and last week, the District Court agreed to restart proceedings. 

In the motion, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom argue there was no basis for the August 5 order extending the federalization of the California National Guard in Los Angeles, and there remains no basis for keeping them in California now. The lack of any violence or other justifying events in Los Angeles and the Trump Administration’s choice to remove most of those troops from Los Angeles to Portland and Chicago confirms it. The Attorney General and Governor urge the District Court to grant their motion, enjoin any continued federalization and deployment of National Guard troops in and around Los Angeles, and return these troops back to the command and control of Governor Newsom.

BACKGROUND  

Attorney General Bonta is committed to holding President Trump and his Administration accountable for overreaching their authority under the law and infringing on Californians’ constitutional rights in their efforts to transform America into a military state and National Guard troops into the President’s personal police force. 

• Initial Federalization of California National Guard: In June, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful orders to federalize the California National Guard and utilize National Guard troops for civilian law enforcement in Los Angeles in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act. That same week, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted California emergency relief, blocking the federalization order and returning command of the California National Guard to Governor Newsom; that order is currently stayed by the Ninth Circuit pending appeal. 
• Posse Comitatus Act Violations: In August, the Attorney General’s Office presented evidence of Posse Comitatus Act violations during a three-day trial before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The Court subsequently granted a permanent injunction enjoining the Trump Administration from engaging in the same or similar activity in the future. The Court’s order is temporarily paused while the Ninth Circuit considers the federal government’s motion for a stay. 
• Deployment of California National Guard Troops to Oregon: Last week, Attorney General Bonta secured a final ruling blocking the unlawful deployment of California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon over the objections of both states’ governors. Over the course of a three day trial, attorneys for the California Department of Justice, Oregon Department of Justice, and Portland City Attorney’s Office presented evidence and argued in court that the federalization and deployment of the Oregon National Guard and the cross-state deployment of the California National Guard to Portland was beyond the authority of the federal government and violates the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
• Supporting Other States’ Cases: Attorney General Bonta has previously supported Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s lawsuits challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to their cities. Most recently, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Trump v. Illinois in support of Illinois’s lawsuit challenging the federalization and deployment of the Illinois National Guard to Chicago

A copy of the renewed motion for a preliminary injunction is available here. 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Government re-opening:

“How we treat those with the least among us reveals the character of a country. We are proud to have fought to secure full SNAP benefits for more than 41 million low-income Americans during the unprecedented government shutdown, in the face of disgraceful efforts by President Trump and his Administration to withhold those benefits. We welcome Congress’s decision to fully fund the SNAP program, and we now urge the Trump Administration to ensure that the funds are disbursed immediately. 

Yesterday, we secured a decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts confirming that the Trump Administration cannot force states to undo the steps they took to ensure that their most vulnerable residents could receive full SNAP benefits. If necessary, we are ready to defend this ruling through any further legal proceedings. 

Finally, it’s worth emphasizing that the deal that ended the government shutdown completely and utterly failed to prevent health premiums from skyrocketing. Going forward, I hope Congress rises to the challenge and supports families who will face these soaring costs.”

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the U.S. Department of Education has backed down from its effort to rescind states’ access to hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for the academic recovery of students following the COVID-19 pandemic. The stipulated agreement, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, leaves in place the preliminary injunction secured by California and other states until all of the funding at issue in the lawsuit is disbursed, effectively resolving the lawsuit in the states’ favor. In California, this agreement will protect over $200 million in previously awarded and obligated funding that school districts are putting to use for programs such as afterschool and summer learning initiatives, the purchase of educational technology, and the provision of mental health services and support.   

“President Trump should not be playing games with the academic future of our children — but when he does and when he breaks the law to do so, we’ll see him in court,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This reversal by the Trump Administration is a huge win for California schools that are relying on this funding to support struggling students and ensure their academic success. It means they do not have to wait for litigation to play out and can confidently spend down this grant funding today. We’re continuing to secure full and final relief for Californians across a number of our lawsuits — and we’re just getting started.” 

HISTORY OF THE CASE

On March 28, 2025, Education Secretary Linda McMahon notified state departments of education that the U.S. Department of Education had unilaterally rescinded access to previously awarded and obligated education funding that is currently being used by school districts to support the academic recovery of students following the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs and services address, among other things, the impact of lost instructional time; students’ academic, social, and emotional needs; and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on marginalized students, including homeless children and children in foster care.  

On April 10, 2025, Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of states challenged the Department of Education’s actions. The states argued that the Department’s decision to rescind access to this funding is arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act, exceeds the Department’s statutory and regulatory authority under the law, and will cause immediate and devastating harm to school districts in California and across the nation.

On May 6 and June 3, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted a preliminary injunction to prevent the federal government from rescinding access to hundreds of millions of dollars in vital education funding while litigation proceeded. The stipulated agreement, filed today with the court, keeps these preliminary injunctions in place until the balance of remaining funding is released to the states. A copy of the agreement is available here.  

SECURING RELIEF FOR CALIFORNIANS

Attorney General Bonta has filed 46 lawsuits against the Trump Administration in 42 weeks, with significant early victories and full and complete wins in litigation protecting California’s funding, programs, and services; safeguarding Californians’ rights and personal, private data; and preventing the dismantling of the federal government.  

Attorney General Bonta has secured permanent injunctions blocking the Trump Administration’s effort to unlawfully impose immigration enforcement requirements on billions of dollars in annual transportation and homeland security grants and halting the Administration’s unlawful attempt to slash funding for a critical energy program. He secured full and permanent relief for California schools in his lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s withholding of over $900 million in funding at the start of the school year, with the remaining tranche of funding scheduled to be released in the coming days. And he stopped $184 million in AmeriCorps cuts, with the White House Office of Management and Budget agreeing to release these funds rather than defend its unlawful actions in court. Most recently, he secured a final ruling barring the Trump Administration from deploying the California National Guard to Portland. 

While many cases are still ongoing, Attorney General Bonta has also secured preliminary relief in the vast majority of cases where he has sought and where a court has issued a ruling: blocking the Trump Administration’s attack on the Department of Health and Human Services; stopping its attempt to impose cruel new restrictions on access to public benefit programs like Head Start based on immigration status; preventing it from allowing ICE to comb through the private data of Medicaid recipients or from bullying states into turning over the data of SNAP recipients to aid in its mass deportation efforts; and safeguarding the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, among other decisions. 

You can find more on the California Department of Justice’s work to hold the federal government accountable here: https://oag.ca.gov/federal-accountability.