Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has upped the ante in a legal tussle with the Trump administration over their continued withholding of funds from AmeriCorps programs. In an expansion of a lawsuit that now includes the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as a defendant, Nessel, and a formidable coalition of 23 other attorneys general, alongside the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, argue that the administration's actions blatantly ignore not only a court order but also, Congress' appropriation mandates.
The beef began when the OMB decided to play keep-away with a sizable treasure chest meant for community service programs operated by AmeriCorps, putting a myriad of services at risk. Despite a court order that should have put the matter to bed by reinstating these programs, according to the Michigan Attorney General's Office, the Trump administration is trying to pull a fast one by not releasing the funds.
AmeriCorps plays a big part in national and state community service efforts, throwing support to over 200,000 Americans who roll up their sleeves for their neighborhoods each year. In Michigan alone, AmeriCorps supported thousands of volunteers last year, which, among other things, allowed for the improvement of public spaces, health services for nearly 18,000 individuals, and academic support for over 63,000 youth.
Terminating these grants, as outlined in the lawsuit, means squeezing the life out of essential programs - including those that assist in disaster recovery efforts, like Michigan's response to the March 2025 ice storm. To give you a sense of the scope of the Trump administration's budget freeze, it's suggested that OMB is sitting on more than $38 million that was earmarked for AmeriCorps initiatives, including Senior Companion Programs and Foster Grandparent Programs.
