Attorney General Dana Nessel is increasingly concerned about any disruption in social security for Michiganders. If you have experienced any unusual disruption in your social security services or you have been prevented from accessing your earned benefits, we urge you to report these issues.
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Case Filed |
Case Name |
Summary |
AG Press Release |
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1/21/2025 |
Michigan and a coalition of 18 states filed this lawsuit to challenge President Trump’s executive order excluding certain newborns from birthright citizenship. This lawsuit is based on a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. If this executive order is allowed to stand, an estimated 150,000 newborns per year—all born in America—would no longer count as Americans. Withholding citizenship from them would reduce the amount of money that the state of Michigan receives from the federal government to fund healthcare, education, and child welfare. Michigan’s hospitals and schools would receive less money too. STATUS: This case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on March 13, 2025. Arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court are scheduled for May 15, 2025. |
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1/28/2025 |
Michigan and a coalition of 21 states filed this lawsuit to challenge a Trump administration policy that pauses disbursements of almost all federal funding to the states (the “OMB Directive”). This lawsuit is based on multiple violations of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws. If this policy is allowed to stand, Michigan and other states would not receive billions of dollars in funds promised by Congress to pay for Medicaid, healthcare, childcare, law enforcement, roads, support for public schools, resources to combat hate crimes and violence against women, disaster relief, and more. STATUS: Preliminary Injunction was ordered on March 6th. On April 4th, Courts found that the government was not in compliance with the preliminary injunction in regard to FEMA funding. Since, the Trump Administration has released all previously withheld FEMA funds and ended the manual review process. In addition, the preliminary injunction and order requiring FEMA to comply with the preliminary injunction are on appeal to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. |
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2/10/2025 |
Michigan co-led a coalition of 21 states in this lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration’s policy to cut billions of dollars in medical research funding provided by the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”). This lawsuit is based on violations of federal law. If the Trump administration’s policy is allowed to stand, then the University of Michigan stands to lose about $181 million, Michigan State University stands to lose about $27 million, and Wayne State University stands to lose millions more in research funding that they use to cure and treat diseases like cancer. At University of Michigan alone, this would impact 425 NIH-funded trials currently underway, including 161 trials aimed at saving lives. STATUS: A preliminary injunction was issued nationwide on March 5th. NIH has since rescinded the memo on indirect cuts. On April 8th, the federal government appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
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2/13/2025 |
Michigan co-led a coalition of 13 states in this lawsuit to challenge Elon Musk’s authority to exercise vast power over the entire federal government. This lawsuit is based on violations of the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which requires that federal officers must be appointed to offices created by Congress and confirmed by the Senate. If Musk’s authority is allowed to stand, then Musk will continue to stop federal funds for law enforcement, health care, education from going to states, including Michigan; illegally eliminate agencies created by Congress, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and access sensitive personal information about Michiganders and using it for illegal purposes. This suit highlights how, with President Trump's approval, Musk has unraveled federal agencies, accessed sensitive data, and caused widespread disruption for state and local governments, federal employees, and the American people. The complaint further asserts that Musk’s actions violate the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which ensures that executive appointments are subject to congressional oversight and Senate confirmation. STATUS: The request for a Temporary Restraining Order was denied on February 18th. Plaintiffs requested expedited discovery, and the Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss the case. On March 26th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia stayed the district court’s order for expedited discovery, holding that defendants “have shown a likelihood of success on their argument that the district court was required to decide their motion to dismiss before allowing discovery.” |
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3/6/2025 |
Maryland et al. v. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture et al. (RE: RIF) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 19 states filed this lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration’s firing of thousands of government employees en masse in violation of laws passed by Congress. This lawsuit is based on violations of multiple federal laws and laws that require the federal government to reimburse states for some of the costs of running unemployment programs. If these mass firings are allowed to stand, then Michigan will pay the costs of unemployed workers, including sudden demand for unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and other services funded by the state taxpayers. STATUS: On April 9th, the Fourth Circuit, in a 2-1 decision, issued a stay of the district court’s preliminary injunction order. While the stay is in place, the parties will litigate the merits of the appeal before the Fourth Circuit. Oral arguments are scheduled for May 6th. |
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3/13/2025 |
New York et al. v. Linda McMahon (RE: DISMANTLING DOE) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 19 states filed this lawsuit to challenge President Trump’s attempt to dismantle and eliminate the Department of Education. This lawsuit is based on violations of the U.S. Constitution, the separation of powers, and federal law. If the President’s policies are allowed to stand, then Michigan will be harmed in multiple ways. First, billions of dollars in funds could not be given to states, including funds for disabled students. Second, federal student loans and FAFSA applications would be disrupted or taken offline, leaving millions of potential students and current borrowers in limbo and unable to access repayment plans. Last, various services for students with special education needs, including those who are homeless, would disappear. STATUS: Preliminary Injunction hearing was Friday, April 25th, awaiting Judge's decision.
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4/1/2025 |
Colorado et al. v. DHHS, RFK Jr. (RE: PUBLIC HEALTH GRANTS) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 23 states filed this lawsuit to challenge the Department of Health and Human Service's abrupt and illegal termination of over $11B in critical public health grants nationwide. If these cuts were allowed to stand, Michigan would lose over $379M in grant funding already awarded to and owed to the State. These grants helped support programs to treat mental health and substance abuse, grants from the CDC to support infectious disease control, vaccinations programs for children and vulnerable adults, and more. STATUS: Temporary Restraining Order was issued on April 3rd for the 23 plaintiff states. A hearing was held on April 17th for a Preliminary Injunction. DHHS rescinded the terminations before the Judge made a ruling. |
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4/3/2025 |
California et al. v. Trump, Bondi et al. (RE: ELECTION EO) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 19 states filed this lawsuit to challenge President Trump's Executive Order No. 14248 (the "Elections Executive Order") which is an undemocratic and illegal attempt to impose sweeping voting restrictions nationwide. The Elections Executive Order attempts to conscript State election officials in the President’s efforts to impose overly burdensome proof-of-citizenship requirements when Americans register to vote. It also seeks to upend common-sense, well-established state procedures for counting ballots — procedures that ensure peoples’ voices are heard. STATUS: On April 23rd, Department of Justice filed a motion to transfer the case to the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia and to consolidate it with the three similar cases pending before that court, or to stay this case pending their outcome. The states filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on May 5th. |
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4/4/2025 |
Rhode Island et al. v. Trump, IMLS et al. (RE: 7 AGENCIES) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 19 states filed this lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration's dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. If allowed to stand, Michigan could lose over $4.75M in federal library funding, small businesses would lose access to new grants and unionized workers would have a harder time securing their rights. STATUS: Preliminary Injunction issued May 6th. |
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4/10/2025 |
New York et al. v. Dept. of Education, McMahon, et al. (RE: ESSER) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 15 states filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon for unlawfully rescinding an extended deadline that allowed states and local school districts to use pandemic relief education funds appropriate by Congress. The suit argues that when the DOE terminated those extensions, they caused immediate and irreparable harm to the Michigan Department of Education, local districts, and the State’s public-school students by severing the State’s access to more than $25 million in education stabilization funds. STATUS: Preliminary Injunction issued May 6th. |
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4/25/2025 |
New York et al. v. Dept. of Education, McMahon, et al. (RE: TITLE VI) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 19 attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Education's threat to withhold federal funding from state and local agencies that refuse to abandon lawful programs and policies and accept the Trump Administration’s new and legally incoherent interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Michigan, like many other states, declined to sign the certification form as drafted, explaining that there is no lawful or practical way to do so given the Department’s vague, contradictory, and unsupported interpretation of Title VI. In filing today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Nessel and the coalition seek to bar the Department from withholding any funding based on these unlawful conditions. STATUS: Case filed on April 25, 2025. |
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4/29/2025 |
Michigan and a coalition of 15 states filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon for unlawfully rescinding an extended deadline that allowed states and local school districts to use pandemic relief education funds appropriate by Congress. The suit argues that when the DOE terminated those extensions, they caused immediate and irreparable harm to the Michigan Department of Education, local districts, and the State’s public-school students by severing the State’s access to more than $25 million in education stabilization funds. STATUS: Case filed on April 29, 2025. |
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5/5/2025 |
New York et al. v. Kennedy, DHHS et al. (RE: DISMANTLING HHS) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 20 states filed a lawsuit against Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and other Trump administration officials to stop the dismantling of HHS. On March 27th, Secretary Kennedy announced that the department’s 28 agencies would be collapsed into 15, with many surviving offices shuffled or split apart. He also announced mass firings, cutting 10,000 full-time employees on top of about 10,000 who had left already, which together would slash the department’s headcount from around 85,000 to 65,000. On April 1st, the federal government began sending termination notices to thousands of HHS employees across the nation. Half of HHS’s regional offices were closed, including offices in Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle. STATUS: Case filed on May 5, 2025. |
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5/5/2025 |
New York et al. v. Trump, USA, Dept. of Interior et al. (RE: WIND ENERGY) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 18 states filed a lawsuit against President Trump, the United States of America, Department of Interior and other agencies to stop the administration's unlawful attempt to freeze the development of wind energy. On January 20th, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum that indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects. Pursuant to that directive, federal agencies stopped all permitting and approval activities. STATUS: Case filed on May 5, 2025. |
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5/9/2025 |
Washington et al. v. Trump et al. (RE: ENERGY EMERGENCY) (PDF) |
Michigan and a coalition of 15 states filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration's unlawful declaration of an energy emergency. The multistate coalition argues the Trump Administration is illegally using emergency authorities for non-emergency projects to keep the nation reliant on energy sources like coal, oil, and gas, as energy production remains at an all-time high and major energy companies have stated they do not plan to increase output as a result of the order. The order also excludes wind, solar, and batteries — among the cheapest and cleanest modern energy sources that exist today – likely because the Administration is simultaneously seeking to increase exports of fossil fuels, a strategy which, according to the U.S. Department of Energy will increase prices for American consumers. STATUS: Case filed on May 9, 2025. |
Table updated May 12, 2025
