California and 21 other states have taken legal action on Friday contesting a recent Trump administration order to close several federal agencies,, Including the one whose funding was crucial for the Museums of San Diego and other institutions.
The prescription of the President of March 14 calls for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Development Agency for Minority Business, the American Interinisitations Council on the homeless and four other agencies “eliminated to the full extent of the applicable law”.
Trump said the cuts were one of his efforts to “reduce federal bureaucracy”.
The California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement described the cuts as “obviously illegal”.
“The Trump administration again violates the American Constitution and the rule of law by trying to unilaterally close the agencies that the president does not like, including agencies that give the public access to facts, knowledge and cultural heritage for free or at low cost,” said Bonta. “The dismantling of these agencies would have a devastating impact on the public and on states across the country.”
Although the financing of agencies, including for the subsidies and programs they administer, were approved by the Congress, the executive decree calls for the management and budget office to reject all funding requests unless money goes to the agency’s closure.
Last week, at least three of the agencies underwent high staff cuts. At the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 85% of the staff was put on leave. Only five out of 40 people remain at the minority business development agency. And the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service – created almost 80 years ago to prevent and resolve work stoppages and labor disputes – was forced to dismiss more than 185 people.
Among the agencies appointed in the decree, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is the most important. It was created by Congress in 1996 to “advance, support and empower museums, libraries and American related organizations” and last year put more than $ 270 million to these objectives.
San Diego organizations have obtained more than $ 1.3 million in IMLS subsidies in 2024. The largest, $ 646,000, went to the San Diego Zoological Society to develop a cryitagement storage repository for flowering factories that cannot be kept through traditional seed banks.
Several local tribes have received subsidies as part of a program aimed at helping to establish and maintain tribal libraries as part of a wider effort to preserve Amerindian cultures and languages.
Three museums in Balboa park, the San Diego botanical garden and the Jolla Historical Society also received subsidies last year.
Jessica Hanson York, Executive Director of the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park, warned in an email to members that Imls cuts could “devastate the only federal agency dedicated to American museums”.
“IMLS represents only 0.0046% of the global federal budget while museums, in turn, generate $ 50 billion in economic benefits for the American economy and support more than 726,000 jobs,” she wrote.
Patrick Stewart, CEO of San Diego Library Foundation, said that Imls finance has helped local libraries provide literacy programs for adults, career development for young people and homework assistance.
“The library is a basic public service and a community cornerstone which must be safeguarded for the future of our city,” he said.
After the decree of March 14, Trump ousted the acting director of the Imls, Cyndee Landrum and appointed the deputy secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling to direct the agency.
Last week, the board of directors of the Institute sent a letter warning that subsidies, contracts and other agreements approved by the congress “cannot be interrupted or delayed under an executive decree or other executive action”.
Many subsidies awarded by IMLS are intended for multi -year projects and have not been fully paid. The California State Library, which received $ 15.7 million last year to help local libraries, was informed Thursday that it would not receive the remaining $ 3 million of this price.
In a press release, California’s state library officials said IMLS funding had supported vital community services, including early learning and literacy programs, summer reading initiatives and the development of labor for young people at risk.
The trial maintains that the American Constitution does not give the president the power to unilaterally close the federal agencies.
“If the president does not agree with the Congress decision to support the country’s libraries and museums and allow peaceful mediation of work disputes, it is free to request legislation removing agencies that exercise these functions – and many others – vital functions,” said the trial.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
