Attorney General Ford Sues Trump Administration to Protect Libraries and Museums

Carson City, NV — Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of three federal agencies that provide services and funding supporting public libraries and museums, workers and minority-owned businesses nationwide. In March, the Trump administration issued an executive order that would dismantle federal agencies created by Congress that collectively provide hundreds of millions of dollars for programs in every state.

As a result of this executive order, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — one of the targeted agencies — has placed almost its entire staff on administrative leave and will cut hundreds of grants for state libraries and museums. The lawsuit filed by AG Ford and the coalition seeks to stop the targeted destruction of the IMLS and two other agencies targeted in the administration’s EO that millions of Americans rely on, especially those in underserved communities.

"The illegal dismantling of these agencies would impact vital public services around Nevada, including cultural and educational resources like museums and libraries,” said AG Ford. “These resources are important for many Nevadans — the Clark County Library District alone serves 1.7 million people — and they must be protected. I am confident in our ability to win in court and to protect these services.”

This executive order is the administration’s latest attempt to dismantle federal agencies in defiance of Congress. AG Ford and the coalition are seeking to stop the dismantling of three agencies targeted in the administration’s Executive Order:

• The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which supports museums and libraries nationwide through grantmaking, research, and policy development; 
• The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), which promotes the growth and inclusion of minority-owned businesses through federal financial assistance programs; and 
• The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), which promotes peaceful resolution of labor disputes.

As AG Ford and the coalition assert in the lawsuit, dismantling these agencies will have devastating effects on communities throughout Nevada and the nation that rely on them to provide important services to the public, including funding their libraries, promoting minority-owned businesses, and protecting workers’ rights.

In 2024, IMLS invested $180 million in libraries nationwide under its Grants to States Program. The administration’s action will threaten hundreds of library staff across the country that provide essential services to their communities.

In addition, the Trump administration has cut the staff of MBDA from 40 to just five individuals and has effectively stopped issuing new grants, hurting vulnerable small businesses across the country. The FMCS has slashed its staff from roughly 200 to fewer than 15 individuals and announced the termination of several of its core programs, making it harder for unionized workers to secure their rights.

AG Ford and the coalition argue that the executive order violates the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by eliminating the programs of agencies without any regard for the laws and regulations that govern each source of federal funding. The coalition argues that the president cannot decide to unilaterally override laws governing federal spending, and that this Executive Order unconstitutionally overrides Congress’s power to decide how federal funds are spent.

Joining AG Ford in this lawsuit are the lead state attorneys general of New York, Rhode Island and Hawaii, as well as the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

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