Illinois AG wins court order supporting libraries, museums, minority-owned businesses

CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) — Attorney General Kwame Raoul, in a coalition with 20 other attorneys general, won a court order stopping the Trump administration from dismantling three federal agencies.

In April, Raoul joined this coalition in suing the administration to stop the implementation of an executive order that would dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). These three agencies provide services and funding supporting public libraries, museums, workers and minority-owned businesses across the country.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued an order on Tuesday granting the states’ request for a preliminary injunction to stop the administration from implementing the order and protecting these agencies.

“The administration’s actions jeopardize critical library and museum programs across the state. These programs help residents of rural communities and underserved youth access educational opportunities and technology,” Raoul said. “I am proud to stand with my fellow attorneys general to stop the unconstitutional attempt to dismantle agencies created by Congress.”

This executive order is the administration’s most recent attempt to dismantle federal agencies in defiance of Congress. Raoul and the coalition are seeking to stop the dismantling of the three agencies targeted in the administration’s executive order:

• The IMLS, which supports libraries and museums across the nation through grantmaking, research and development
• The MBDA, which promotes the growth and inclusion of minority-owned businesses through federal financial assistance programs
• The FMCS, which promotes the resolution of labor disputes

According to Raoul, as the coalition continues to assert in the lawsuit, dismantling these agencies will hurt communities throughout Illinois and across the nation that rely on them to provide important services to the public. These include funding for libraries, promoting minority-owned businesses and protecting workers’ rights.

The preliminary injunction that has been granted halts the executive order as it applies to IMLS, MBDA and FMCS. The court also found that the states had established a “strong likelihood of success” on their claims that the order violates the Administrative Procedure Act and disregards the Constitution by attempting to dismantle agencies that Congress both established and funded by law.

Attorneys general from the following states joined Raoul in this coalition:

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New York
• New Mexico
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Washington
• Wisconsin