Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration over Mass Firings of Federal Workers

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 19 other attorneys general today filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for illegally firing thousands of probationary federal workers, including hundreds in New York. The administration is required to provide advance notice of mass layoffs to employees and states so that states can mobilize resources needed to process unemployment claims and care for unemployed workers. However, as Attorney General James and the coalition argue in their lawsuit, the administration has directed federal agencies to conduct immediate mass terminations of probationary employees without following the law. The resulting unlawful layoffs have upended workers’ lives, disrupted essential services, and forced states to scramble to provide resources for recently fired workers.

“Whether it’s providing health care to our veterans, keeping our communities safe, or ensuring our children get a quality education, federal employees provide essential services every day,” said Attorney General James. “The Trump administration’s illegal mass firings of federal workers are a slap in the face to those who have spent their careers serving our country. Thousands of workers across New York and the nation are now struggling to pay rent, put food on the table, and care for their loved ones. Today, I am joining my fellow attorneys general in defending the rights of workers who serve our communities and stopping the chaos and confusion this unjust policy is causing.” 

In New York, these illegal layoffs have impacted workers throughout the state. In the last week of February, 372 federal workers had filed for unemployment in New York. More than 1,000 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees nationwide were fired in February, including workers at VA medical centers in New York. Workers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who were fired included seven staffers assigned to New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In Buffalo and Syracuse, more than 100 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees have been fired, leaving New Yorkers without a critical resource for assistance with their tax returns at the height of tax season. The regional office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in Buffalo also saw major staffing cuts, jeopardizing the rights of workers across Western New York.

The probationary employees that the Trump administration has targeted are workers who have either been newly hired or have recently been promoted or changed offices. They are generally subject to a probationary period of one or two years.

In their lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the Trump administration has violated the law by implementing mass layoffs, or Reductions in Force (RIF), without providing states and employees proper advance notice. Federal agencies are required by law to provide at least 60 days of prior written notice before they release any federal civil service employee under a RIF. These notices help states assemble job training programs, staff to process unemployment claims, and other resources to minimize the harm to affected workers and their communities.

With this lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition are seeking a court order to stop further mass layoffs without notice and the reinstatement of all illegally fired federal workers who have been laid off since January 20, 2025.

“Federal employees are the backbone of our nation's operations, and their work is absolutely vital to the safety and well-being of every American,” said Congressman Dan Goldman. “The illegal mass firing of probationary employees is an unjust and reckless attack on the very workers who ensure our government functions. The federal workforce deserves our deepest respect, and the targeted layoffs of probationary employees will have a cascading effect, leading to a catastrophic loss of institutional knowledge that will be felt for generations. I applaud New York Attorney General James and the 16 other attorneys general for their bold and decisive action in filing this lawsuit to protect our dedicated federal workers, and, by extension, the integrity of our government.”

“President Trump and Elon Musk have attacked our dedicated federal workforce, who process benefits for seniors and veterans, protect our natural resources, keep our skies safe, and so much more,” said Congressman Tim Kennedy. “No one is above the law, and today’s lawsuit will help ensure the President is held accountable for disrupting the lives of our civil servants and the hardworking families they serve in Western New York and across the country. I stand by Attorney General James as we come together to combat the Trump Administration’s reckless mass firings.”

“Workers have rights in the United States, and it’s against the law – and against the interests of the American people who depend on critical services like Social Security – to indiscriminately fire dedicated public workers, including here in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley,” said Congressman John W. Mannion. “Trump and Musk’s efforts to illegally erase a century of hard-fought workplace protections must be stopped. On behalf of every worker in NY-22 – and every senior, veteran, farmer, and constituent who deserves a functioning and responsive government – I wholeheartedly support this legal action by Attorney General James and her counterparts.  We’ll see you in court, Mr. President.”

“Instead of taking real action to lower costs or keep our communities safe, the Trump administration is gutting the workforce of those who provide care to our veterans, retirement for our seniors, and healthcare to our communities,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “It’s shameful. I’m proud to support Attorney General James in her efforts to fight back and hold the President accountable.”

“The Trump-Musk administration’s reckless and unlawful mass firings have been nothing short of a catastrophe—not just for the dedicated federal workers whose livelihoods have been upended, but for the millions of New Yorkers who rely on the essential services they provide,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “If left unchallenged, these firings will undermine the very programs that working families, seniors, and people with disabilities in New York depend on every day. I am grateful that New York Attorney General James has taken swift action to challenge these illegal firings, and I am proud to stand with her and my fellow Congressional Democrats to send a clear message to our federal workers in New York: We stand with you, and we will not stop fighting until these outrageous and harmful actions are fully reversed.”

Joining Attorney General James in filing today’s lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.