Wisconsin joined over 20 states in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's $400 million cuts for AmeriCorps, a federal volunteer program that assists communities with literacy, conservation, homelessness and health care, Gov. Tony Evers announced Tuesday.
The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Josh Kaul and 22 other attorneys general, was in response to abrupt federal funding cuts to Wisconsin AmeriCorps services on Friday, halting work at over 300 sites and providing services for Wisconsinites.
430 members throughout Wisconsin stopped work Tuesday after cuts to the program were ordered by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk.
The Evers administration was also notified that federal grants to all 25 AmeriCorps programs in Serve Wisconsin’s portfolio and five developing programs supporting local communities through Volunteer Generation Fund would be “immediately” terminated.
“Once again, the Trump Administration is trying to cut federal funding that Congress already approved and Wisconsin is counting on to help kids, families, and communities across our state — all so they can pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires,” Evers said in a statement.
The lawsuit argues the Trump administration violates their “obligation” to ensure the law is “faithfully executed” by dismantling programs already approved by Congress.
“These terminations are also causing dramatic upheaval in the lives of the hundreds of AmeriCorps members that had dedicated a year of their life to service,” Jeanne Duffy, Executive Director for Serve Wisconsin, an organization that partners with AmeriCorp, said. “Losing access to their living allowance that may have been their only source of income and facing immediate financial crises around paying for housing and living expenses.”
Due to the funding cuts, thousands of students will lose personal tutors helping with math, literacy, graduation and college applications. Additionally, hundreds of individuals recovering from substance abuse will not have access to recovery coaches, programming for health clinics will be lost and families will experience a loss or reduction of summer programming, according to Serve Wisconsin.
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard told The Daily Cardinal she supports Gov. Ever’s lawsuit.
“In Dane County, AmeriCorps members support after-school programs, mentor youth, work toward sustainability goals, connect residents to essential services, and strengthen our communities in countless other ways. These cuts are not just shortsighted—they’re harmful to the people,” Agard said.
