Public Rights Project (PRP) Challenges Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Reorganization of Federal Government

For Immediate Release: April 29, 2025

Media contact: press@publicrightsproject.org

OAKLAND, CA – Public Rights Project filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government underway without Congressional authority. It was filed on behalf of a coalition that includes nationwide labor organizations, vital nonprofits and six local cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington. In addition to PRP, the coalition is represented by Democracy Forward, Altshuler Berzon LLP, Protect Democracy and State Democracy Defenders Fund.

This is the largest and most significant challenge to Trump’s authority to remake the government without congressional approval. The case seeks a court’s intervention to stop the implementation of the President’s unlawful Executive Order 14210 (Implementing the President’s ‘‘Department of Government Efficiency’’ Workforce Optimization Initiative), which violates the Constitution’s fundamental separation of powers principles.

Federal agencies were required to submit for approval agency reductions in force and reorganization plans on April 14. Although the President’s executive order seeks to radically reorganize and deconstruct federal agencies through massive reductions in force, the groups make clear in the filing that only Congress has the power to change the federal government in the ways the president has directed.

“Unlawfully firing public servants at this scale will hurt communities across the country,” said Jill Habig, Founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “This is a dangerous power grab that decimates the ability of federal agencies to fulfill their obligations and disrupts the ability of local governments to deliver critical services. We’re proud to stand up with so many cities, counties, and organizations in saying no to another brazen attempt to deprive people of their safety and rights.”

The coalition includes the City and County of San Francisco, Calif.; County of Santa Clara, Calif.; City of Chicago, Ill.; City of Baltimore, Md.; Harris County, Texas; and King County, Wash. Other coalition members are the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and four AFGE locals; American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and SEIU Local 1000; Alliance for Retired Americans, American Geophysical Union; American Public Health Association; Center for Taxpayer Rights; Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks; Common Defense; Main Street Alliance; NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council); Northeast Organic Farming Association Inc.; VoteVets; and Western Watersheds Project. The case, AFGE v. Trump, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Statements from plaintiffs and counsel in the case are here.

Read the complaint here.

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Public Rights Project

As a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Public Rights Project helps local government officials fight for civil rights. We do this by building their capacity to protect and advance civil rights, convening and connecting them on issues of civil rights, and providing legal representation to governments to help them win in court on behalf of their residents. Since our founding, we’ve built a network of over 1,300 partners, including elected officials and 227 government offices across all 50 states.

www.publicrightsproject.org