A federal judge in Maryland has blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to shut down AmeriCorps, a federal agency that largely supports several education-related and school-based programs in the Tri-Cities. 

Attorneys general from 24 states plus two governors sued the Trump administration to prevent it from pulling $400 million in funds allocated to AmeriCorps by Congress. Trump administration officials began dismantling the more than 30-year-old program in mid-April via efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency. 

A federal judge found that the Trump administration’s actions were unlawful because Congress explicitly required that the agency provide advance notice and an opportunity to comment on an any major changes to AmeriCorps services, according to a release from Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. 

The judge’s order, issued June 5, restored $12 million in unspent funds of AmeriCorps programs in Washington.  

In the Tri-Cities, four AmeriCorps-funded agencies essentially stopped operations as a result of suddenly losing their funds. 

• Serve Tri-Cities, which provided math tutoring in Pasco schools. 
• Teach for America, which sends new teachers to underserved schools . 
• Washington Service Corps’ IT Service Corps through WorkSource Columbia Basin. 
• Washington Association of Child Advocate Programs, which supports the volunteer guardian ad litem program of Benton County. 

Additionally, AmeriCorps grants that pay for initiatives supported by other entities, such as United Way’s Attendance Matters program.  

Information was not immediately available on whether the affected programs have begun to receive federal funds.