Washington, multistate coalition victory protects social services for low-income families

Washington and a multistate coalition have won a permanent court order stopping the federal administration's unlawful attempt to gut essential health, education, and social service programs for low-income families.

"The court strongly rebuked the administration's unlawful deprivation of basic healthcare, education, and other social services," Attorney General Nick Brown said. "This ruling is a decisive win protecting the safety net that so many Washingtonians count on."

In July 2025, Brown co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing to challenge the federal government's reinterpretation of a decades-old law governing access to social services. Today, a federal court granted the coalition's motion for summary judgment, vacating the administration's sweeping rules that threatened programs like Head Start, Title X family planning clinics, food banks, domestic violence shelters, adult education, and Community Health Centers.

The order also protects programs such as Washington's WorkSource centers, which allow local providers such as community colleges, school districts, nonprofits, and tribal governments to deliver services such as job search assistance.

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