Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul 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 Raoul and a coalition of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to stop the administration’s sweeping and unlawful restructuring 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.
“Since its founding, HHS has administered crucial offices and programs dedicated to protecting and advancing the health and well-being of all Americans. Programs like the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System are critical to families because they help track and improve maternal and child health outcomes. Tracking diseases like the measles is also now more important than ever,” Raoul said. “I am pleased with the court’s action and proud to stand with my colleagues to ensure access to critical health services Illinoisans and all Americans depend on.”
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, Raoul and the 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 Centers 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 coalition’s request for a preliminary injunction, blocking further implementation of the restructuring and stopping the termination of employees at 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 Raoul in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
