PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes today secured a preliminary injunction halting Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), ensuring continued access to critical public health and social service programs. On May 5, Attorney General Mayes joined a coalition of 19 other attorneys general in suing to stop the administration’s sweeping and unlawful directive, which left HHS unable to carry out many of its most vital functions. Today, Judge Melissa R. Dubose of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island blocked the administration's mass layoffs at several key HHS agencies while the case proceeds.
"By firing public health workers en masse, the Trump Administration would shutter child care centers, halt life-saving cancer research, and skyrocket costs for state and local health agencies across the country that would have to foot the bill," said Attorney General Kris Mayes. "I'm proud to have secured yet another injunction blocking the President from raising costs for Arizonans. We will hold him accountable under the law."
On March 27, Secretary Kennedy announced a sweeping restructuring of HHS. The plan collapsed 28 agencies into 15, terminated 10,000 employees without warning, and left key HHS offices shuttered or in disarray. Many workers learned they were fired only after being locked out of their offices and deactivated from government systems. In their lawsuit, Attorney General James and the multistate coalition argued that this unlawful overhaul immediately endangered lives and left crucial systems in chaos. The overhaul cut off federal support for Head Start centers, suspended maternal health data collection, and nearly shuttered disease monitoring at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The administration also terminated the entire team responsible for updating federal poverty guidelines – a tool used to determine eligibility for programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance.
Today, Judge DuBose granted the states’ request for a preliminary injunction, blocking further implementation of the restructuring and stopping the termination of employees across four critical offices:
- The CDC, including the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health;
- The Center for Tobacco Products;
- The Office of Head Start; and
- The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Joining Attorney General Mayes in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
A copy of the order is available here.