California and a coalition of other states are filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the Department of Government Efficiency’s cuts to the AmeriCorps national service program, the governor’s office said Tuesday.

The lawsuit argues that the cuts are essentially eliminating the national agency and blocking the states’ ability to support AmeriCorps programs within their own jurisdiction, the governor’s office said in a news release. It comes after DOGE placed most national AmeriCorps staff members on leave, discharged volunteers from AmeriCorps’s National Civilian Community Corps and instructed the agency to cut $400 million in grants.

“Service sits at the very core of who we are as Americans. California is suing the Trump administration to defend thousands of hardworking service members and the communities they serve,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “These actions by President Trump and Elon Musk not only threaten our funding — they vandalize our values. We’re going to fight to stop them.”

The cuts have shaken local nonprofits that rely on volunteers and grants from AmeriCorps to carry out their missions, leaving many scrambling and scenario-planning ahead of an uncertain future and some preparing for the potential of losing this integral support.

The state received notification Friday that AmeriCorps grant programs would be terminated. In 2024, the state had 6,150 volunteers working at more than 1,200 locations such as homeless shelters, veterans facilities, schools, food banks and more, the governor’s office said. Many AmeriCorps volunteers responded during the Los Angeles wildfires at the beginning of the year by supporting 26,000 households and distributing 21,000 food boxes.

These volunteers “bring out the best in America and in our communities,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement.

“By abruptly canceling critical grants and gutting AmeriCorps’ workforce and volunteers, DOGE is dismantling AmeriCorps without any concern for the thousands of people who are ready and eager to serve their country — or for those whose communities are stronger because of this public service,” Bonta said. “California has repeatedly taken action to hold the Trump Administration and DOGE accountable to the law — and we stand prepared to do it again to protect AmeriCorps and the vital services it provides.”

The White House on Tuesday pointed to improper payments reported by AmeriCorps, totaling over $40 million in 2024 and attributed to insufficient documentation from grantees, calculation errors and miscoded expenses.

“President Trump has the legal right to restore accountability to the entire Executive Branch,” Anna Kelly, White House deputy press secretary, said in an email.

AmeriCorps employs more than 500 full-time federal workers and has an operating budget of roughly $1 billion.

In addition, it sends roughly 200,000 corps members across the country as part of its service programs. Most corps members get a living stipend during their service and become eligible for funding for future education expenses or to apply for certain student loans.

The state is continuing to recruit for the California Service Corps program, the governor’s office said. The program hosts about 10,000 members in several service agencies.

In 2024, AmeriCorps volunteers in California completed more than 4 million hours of service and planted nearly 40,000 trees.

“DOGE isn’t just cutting jobs — they’re attacking the very people who keep California strong,” said Josh Fryday, director of the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement. “They’re coming after the service members who responded to the L.A. fires, the tutors helping our kids and the young leaders caring for our seniors. It’s outrageous, it’s illegal and we won’t back down.

“In California, we’re not just defending service — we’re strengthening it. California is doubling down, and we trust the courts will strike this down and uphold the values we fight for every day.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.