Attorney General Bonta Marks One Year of Holding Trump Accountable

Through 54 lawsuits, Attorney General Bonta is standing up for California families and businesses, defending constitutional rights, and protecting approximately $188 billion in funding 

SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today marked the end of the first year of President Trump’s term and one year of holding his Administration accountable for sweeping violations of the law and the U.S. Constitution. Since January 20, 2025, Attorney General Bonta has filed 54 lawsuits against the Trump Administration — with resounding success. He has secured 12 final rulings, 35 preliminary injunctions and other emergency relief, and increasingly, appellate orders affirming these rulings. The Trump Administration has also conceded in part or entirely in six cases: backing down rather than continuing to defend its illegal actions in court. When the Trump Administration breaks the law, California stands ready to take it to court, whether it be for protecting public safety, standing up for healthcare access, supporting California's economy, defending our environmental protections, or fighting for public benefits upon which California families rely.

“One year ago today, President Trump was sworn in for a second time, and every day since then, he has sought to enact a sweeping, and often illegal, effort to remake America,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Our work to stop the Trump Administration’s unlawful actions touches every part of Californians’ lives: helping to make sure they can continue putting food on the table, access a quality education, cast their vote, live safely in their communities, and so much more. This is not about political differences. This is about a wholesale attack on California’s people, our values, and our progress. We’ve filed 54 lawsuits in just one year — an astonishing number that reflects the pace and recklessness with which this President has violated the law. Looking ahead, we’re not backing down. As Attorney General, my job is to uphold the law and stand up for all Californians. I will continue to do so.”

STANDING UP FOR CALIFORNIA FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES: No President has ever tried so hard to rip away basic necessities from American families and make life harder for businesses, small and large. Just this month, the President abruptly froze $5 billion in federal funding to California that benefits children, families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Attorney General Bonta went to court and less than 24 hours later, he secured an emergency order restoring this funding. Attorney General Bonta has also vigorously defended the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a food assistance program that serves 5.5 million Californians, from attacks by the Trump Administration, securing a court order blocking the President’s demand for data on SNAP recipients to build his mass surveillance database, forcing him to fund November SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, and ensuring certain lawful permanent residents are not erroneously excluded from SNAP eligibility.

Attorney General Bonta also recognizes the devastating impact of the Trump Administration’s policies on California businesses and has sued the Trump Administration for an illegal and chaotic tariff regime that has sent businesses, consumers, and global economies reeling. The legality of these tariffs is currently under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

DEFENDING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS: In his first hours in office, President Trump signed a blatantly unconstitutional executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship. Attorney General Bonta and a multistate coalition immediately went to court, securing multiple court orders blocking the executive order from going into effect. In upholding a nationwide injunction against the policy, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit made clear that “the length of our analysis should not be mistaken for a sign that the fundamental question that these cases raise about the scope of birthright citizenship is a difficult one. It is not, which may explain why it has been more than a century since a branch of our government has made as concerted an effort as the Executive Branch now makes to deny Americans their birthright.” Unfortunately, this is not the only instance where President Trump has sought to deny a constitutional right. For example, Attorney General Bonta has successfully pushed back on President Trump’s unconstitutional, antidemocratic, and un-American attempt to impose sweeping voting restrictions. 

PROTECTING FEDERAL FUNDING: Attorney General Bonta has taken action to protect California’s funding in 27 cases. In his first week in office, President Trump unilaterally froze all federal funding to California among other states. Attorney General Bonta and a multistate coalition went to court within hours, securing a court order and protecting an estimated $168 billion in funding for California. When the Trump Administration sought to withhold over $900 million for schools just weeks before the school year was set to start, Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit and days later, the Trump Administration backed down and agreed to release all funding. This is far from the only time the President has thrown in the towel rather than defend his illegal actions in court. Following lawsuits filed by the Attorney General, the Trump Administration agreed to disburse $220 million in funding for the academic recovery of students following the COVID pandemic; release tens of millions of dollars in illegally withheld AmeriCorps funding; and drop conditions on transportation funding and funding for victims of crimes.

STOPPING THE MILITARIZATION OF CALIFORNIA CITIES: For over six months, Attorney General Bonta has fought tooth and nail against the illegal federalization and deployment of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles and later, in Portland, culminating in a U.S. Supreme Court decision in December rejecting the Trump Administration’s nearly limitless conception of presidential authority to federalize the National Guard and the activities those troops can engage in. During this period, Attorney General Bonta and his team made arguments during two three-day trials before district courts and secured multiple court orders blocking the President’s illegal executive overreach. Thanks to these efforts, today, there are no federalized National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles.

For more information on California’s 54 lawsuits against the Trump Administration, you can visit https://oag.ca.gov/federal-accountability.