New Jersey attorney general sues Trump, RFK Jr. over dismantling of U.S. Health Department

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin joined a coalition of 19 other attorneys general Monday in filing a sweeping federal lawsuit to stop what they call the unlawful dismantling of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump Administration.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks to block a wide-reaching reorganization of HHS that has led to mass firings, the shuttering of critical health programs, and the closure of regional offices responsible for responding to national public health emergencies. The attorneys general argue that these drastic changes violate federal law, endanger public safety, and exceed the authority of the executive branch.

“Instead of responding to urgent public health crises, the Trump Administration is recklessly disregarding the health of New Jerseyans and putting the lives of our state’s residents at risk,” Platkin said in a statement. “President Trump and Secretary Kennedy do not have the legal authority to shut down this department—but they are apparently hell-bent on firing tens of thousands of public health workers and shuttering key programs.”

On March 27, Kennedy announced a plan to restructure HHS by consolidating its 28 agencies into 15. Days later, on April 1, the department terminated 10,000 employees nationwide and closed half of its regional offices, including those in major cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco.

According to the lawsuit, these changes have upended critical public health services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s infectious disease labs responsible for monitoring outbreaks like measles and hepatitis have been closed. Mental health and addiction services have been gutted with the firing of hundreds of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration staff and the closure of all SAMHSA regional offices.

The lawsuit also highlights the impact on the World Trade Center Health Program, which serves more than 137,000 9/11 first responders and survivors. With the department’s reorganization, the doctors needed to certify new cancer diagnoses are no longer available, effectively cutting off access to care.

The CDC’s maternal health team was also disbanded, leaving pregnant women and infants more vulnerable at a time when maternal mortality remains a national concern.

The coalition of 20 attorneys general suing, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, contends that the Trump Administration’s actions violate the separation of powers and ignore congressional mandates designed to protect public health.

Platkin has been active in challenging recent health policy rollbacks. On April 1, he joined 23 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Administration for slashing state health funding. A federal judge later issued a temporary restraining order restoring that funding.

Joining New Jersey in the latest lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

The plaintiffs are seeking a court order to halt the terminations, reverse the restructuring, and restore critical health services.