SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV) — A coalition of 21 state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its attempt to dismantle key federal agencies—including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—through an executive order that could strip millions in grant funding from libraries, museums, minority-owned businesses, and worker mediation programs nationwide.
The lawsuit, filed during National Library Week, challenges Executive Order 14238 issued in March by former President Donald Trump. The order, titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” directs the closure of the IMLS, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), effectively freezing new grants and placing staff on leave across all three agencies.
According to the Associated Press, the IMLS was created by Congress in 1996 and currently provides over $200 million annually in federal grants. These funds support a wide range of library and museum services, including literacy programs, summer reading initiatives, and specialized services for veterans and the visually impaired.
California alone received $15.7 million from IMLS’s “Grants to States Program” in 2024, supporting library staffing and public services. “Our libraries are hubs for learning, civic engagement, and community,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “On Friday, we sued the Trump Administration for unlawfully attempting to shutter the Institute of Museum and Library Services—a federal agency that supports libraries across the nation.”
Governor Gavin Newsom echoed Bonta’s concerns, calling the move “an attack on communities,” noting that more than 21% of the funds allocated to California remain unpaid. “Libraries are more than just book depositories,” Newsom said in a press release. “They provide free meals for children, career development tools, and community programs that support everyone—from seniors to veterans.”
In Illinois, Attorney General Raoul emphasized how the cuts could harm underserved communities. “Illegally cutting grants jeopardizes critical library programs that provide education and access to technology for underserved youth,” Raoul said. Illinois received $5.7 million in IMLS funding in 2024, supporting both urban and rural libraries.
The executive order has also impacted the MBDA, whose staff has been reduced from 40 to just five employees, according to the lawsuit. Similarly, the FMCS has seen its staff slashed from 200 to fewer than 15, limiting its ability to resolve labor disputes.
Critics of the lawsuit argue the administration is within its constitutional rights to reshape the executive branch. “Under Article II of the Constitution, the president is given ample discretion in running the executive branch.”
