Attorney General Ellison wins court order blocking Trump Administration’s dismantling of Health and Human Services

July 1, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Attorney General Ellison 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 Ellison and a coalition of 19 other attorneys general sued to stop the administration’s sweeping and unlawful 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.

“The people of Minnesota count on the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor and prevent the spread of deadly diseases, support the health and nutrition of young Minnesotans, and so much else,” said Attorney General Ellison. “I am pleased to have won a court order stopping the Trump Administration from dismantling this crucial government agency and sabotaging the important work they do. I will continue fighting to make this court order permanent and defend the health and safety of Minnesotans everywhere.”

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, Attorney General Ellison and the multistate 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 Center 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 states’ request for a preliminary injunction, blocking further implementation of the restructuring and stopping the termination of employees across four critical offices:

• 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 Ellison in this lawsuit, which was led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.