VICTORY: We Sued the Trump Administration and Won

In March, Agrarian Trust joined a dozen other nonprofits and six cities to file a lawsuit to defend federal funding for critical public investments in our food system, renewable energy, and affordable housing. 

[Note: The official declaration I filed as Executive Director on behalf of Agrarian Trust as a plaintiff is below.] 

This week, we achieved a major victory with a federal judge in South Carolina ordering the White House to reinstate our agreements, bringing millions of dollars in funding to our communities.

Please join us in sharing this press release from the staff of the Southern Environmental Law Center. They took our case to court and delivered a big win. 

The impact of this victory goes far beyond a few dozen federal grants. Our case is ultimately about upholding our Constitution, our rights, and protecting the People’s House from presidential power plays.

The hostile takeover of our government agencies must be brought to an end. It goes beyond mere “executive overreach” when federal employees and those who depend on them are prevented from doing their jobs and asked to serve in work environments rife with confusion and delay that make it impossible to fulfill our agreements or plan.

It starts with us standing up to a regime that has instilled intimidation and uncertainty since its first days in power. The courts have offered one source of protection. Our thanks goes to all the federal judges who have sought to uplift truth and justice despite the perils they’ve faced.

And thank you, too! Our gratitude to everyone who gave to our matching campaign last month. We achieved our goal! The $50k you helped raise will support the future of the commons.

It’s made a huge difference as we grapple with the ongoing uncertainty and the very real need to ready ourselves amid the looming threat of Congress threatening federal funding through legal means such as rescission. No doubt, these are the toughest times we’ve faced as an organization.

Nonetheless, we will keep working to hold our government accountable not only for past commitments but because our shared future depends on it.