Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with attorneys general from 20 other states, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in response to an executive order aimed at dismantling three key federal agencies. These agencies include the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). The lawsuit aims to challenge the executive order's impact on critical services supporting public libraries, museums, minority-owned businesses, and labor rights across states, including Michigan.

In March, the Trump administration issued the executive order to dismantle several federal agencies established by Congress. The move has raised significant concerns due to its potential disruption of programs that distribute hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide. This includes the IMLS, which has already placed nearly its entire staff on leave and may cut grants for state libraries and museums.

Nessel emphasized the importance of these agencies: “Once again, the President has signed an executive order that clearly oversteps the powers of his office, tramples the role of Congress in establishing and funding agencies, and commits unnecessary and potentially irreparable harms to Michiganders,” she stated. Nessel highlighted the critical role libraries play in education and community services.

The IMLS funded $180 million for libraries nationwide in 2024 through its Grants to States Program. Michigan alone received $4,788,124, constituting a substantial share of library funding in the state. Anticipated funding for 2025 is approximately $4,775,000, but the executive order threatens these financial resources.

The State Librarian for the Library of Michigan has expressed serious concerns, noting that the executive order and accompanying staff reductions at IMLS may result in an inability to administer critical financial awards and programs. This could adversely affect numerous libraries, including tribal, academic, public, and nonprofit libraries throughout Michigan. The order has already led to the cancellation of a summer grant program crucial for small and rural libraries.

The lawsuit highlights the significant jeopardy faced by Michigan's MeL and MeLCat programs. In 2024, MeLCat facilitated the sharing of over a million items between participating libraries and enabled access to millions of academic resources for state residents. Additionally, federal funds have supported summer reading initiatives, digitization projects, and other educational resources crucial to libraries and their users.

Apart from IMLS, the executive order has substantially reduced MBDA's workforce from 40 to five, affecting small businesses' access to growth opportunities. Similarly, FMCS staff has been drastically cut, impacting labor rights protections.

Attorney General Nessel and the coalition argue that this executive order contravenes both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, overriding established laws governing federal funding. The lawsuit posits that the president lacks authority to unilaterally change how federal funds are allocated, impinging on congressional powers.

The coalition includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. They collectively seek judicial intervention to halt the proposed dismantling of these agencies due to its projected adverse effects on communities nationally.