End of Summer Lawsuit Roundup: Dozens of Lawsuits and Billions Saved

AG Mayes and AG Nessel are back from a summer break to take us behind the scenes of their relentless legal battle against what they describe as the most unconstitutional administration in American history. They’ve filed over 25 lawsuits against the Trump administration in just six months, working around the clock to protect their states from illegal trespasses against their residents’ rights and devastating federal funding cuts.The financial stakes couldn't be higher. Through successful litigation, Michigan has preserved $1.6 billion and Arizona $1.2 billion in federal funding for critical programs including healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public safety. These victories come at a crucial time as both states face potential budget shortfalls from the recently passed "big bill for billionaires" that slashes taxes for corporations and the wealthy while cutting essential services. The AGs walk us through their most significant wins: preventing the dismantling of AmeriCorps, protecting library funding serving millions of cardholders, saving cancer research and treatment programs, and stopping illegal conditions on roads funding. In many cases, the Trump administration simply abandoned its efforts after initial court defeats rather than pursuing appeals – a pattern the AGs attribute partly to staffing challenges at the Department of Justice, where many experienced attorneys have departed. Perhaps most alarming is the administration's aggressive data collection efforts. Both AGs express deep concern about federal agencies attempting to "hoover up" massive amounts of personal information from Treasury, IRS, Medicaid, and SNAP programs. This intrusive data gathering crosses partisan lines – as Mayes notes, traditionally Republicans have opposed such "Big Brother" surveillance. The question remains: what happens to all this sensitive personal data, and who controls it?