A coalition of 20 state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against President Donald Trump’s administration, challenging its sweeping reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The legal action accuses the administration of bypassing congressional authority and violating multiple federal laws in its efforts to cut the number of HHS agencies nearly in half.

Led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, the group claims that the administration’s plan to reduce HHS agencies from 28 to 15 was implemented without appropriate legislative oversight or approval. The complaint also highlights that the reorganization has already resulted in approximately 20,000 layoffs across the department.

“This administration is not streamlining the federal government; they are sabotaging it,” James stated. She emphasized that the mass dismissals and structural changes threaten the nation’s public health infrastructure and diminish the federal government’s capacity to respond to emergencies and safeguard the well-being of citizens.

The lawsuit asserts that such drastic changes require not only administrative review but also formal congressional consent—none of which was obtained. According to the complaint, the move violates provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act and other statutory safeguards meant to regulate executive authority over federal agencies.

The Trump administration has defended the restructuring as a necessary step to eliminate bureaucratic redundancy, improve efficiency, and modernize HHS operations. However, opponents argue that the cuts risk destabilizing critical services such as disease prevention, health research, and Medicaid oversight.

The legal challenge sets the stage for a major constitutional and political showdown over executive power, especially concerning federal workforce governance and agency restructuring. It underscores the deep divide between the federal executive branch and state-level leadership on health policy and government accountability.