Gov. Newsom threatens to sue the Trump admin after federal move to dismantle AmeriCorps program
Sacramento, California – California Governor Gavin Newsom announced intentions to legally contest the federal government’s decision to dissolve the AmeriCorps service program, calling it a betrayal of the country’s volunteers. Newsom’s government is also scheduled to increase initiatives to draw more people into the California Service Corps, which now ranks as the biggest service corps in the United States, even larger than the Peace Corps.
Governor Newsom expressed his disappointment at the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) decision.
“We’ve gone from the New Deal, the New Frontier, and the Great Society to a federal government that gives the middle finger to volunteers serving their fellow Americans. We will sue to stop this,” Newsom said.
The AmeriCorps program has been instrumental in California, especially during times of crisis. When wildfires devastated areas of Los Angeles this year, AmeriCorps members were instrumental in providing vital supplies and supporting impacted families. In the continuing recovery efforts in these regions, their persistent presence has been regarded as essential.
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Josh Fryday, Director of California’s GO-Serve program, also criticized the federal move.
“DOGE’s actions aren’t about making government work better — it’s about making communities weaker,” Fryday said. He highlighted the broad scope of AmeriCorps’ impact, from educational activities like tutoring children and mentoring students to assisting seniors and aiding disaster recovery efforts.
The California Service Corps comprises four major initiatives:
- #CaliforniansForAll College Corps
- California Climate Action Corps
- Youth Service Corps
- AmeriCorps California
These initiatives taken together provide a service network more far-reaching than the Peace Corps, concentrating on vital issues such as post-pandemic academic recovery, reconstruction following the LA flames, and state future workforce requirements preparation.
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The federal government, especially more than half for the California Climate Action Corps and around 5% for the College Corps, provides a majority of the money for these initiatives. California completely funds the Youth Service Corps. With 6,264 AmeriCorps members in California giving more than 4.3 million hours of service, the influence of these initiatives in the 2023–24 service year has been significant.
They have participated in environmental conservation projects including planting more than 39,000 trees, mentored and tutored around 74,000 students, and helped 17,000 foster children with job and educational possibilities.
Given the program’s vast reach and close integration with community support systems around the state, the decision to close AmeriCorps has generated significant backlash. California remains determined in its dedication to maintain and grow its service corps as legal issues threaten and the discussion over the part of federal support for public service gets heated, so guaranteeing ongoing support and possibilities for its needy communities.
