Defending Public Services

On Oct. 1, 2025, the federal government shut down. This shutdown was completely avoidable if President Trump and the Republicans who control the government had decided to address the healthcare emergency they created in their July omnibus bill rather than defund the government. Instead of addressing this crisis of their own making, Republicans have chosen to hurt federal workers and threaten the essential services they provide.

On Wednesday, October 22, AFT joined a lawsuit to protect AFT members during the government shutdown. AFT members in the federal government, including public employees affiliated with the Federation of Indian Service Employees (FISE) are now protected by court order from shutdown RIFs. The case is AFGE v. OMB, 3:25-cv-08302 (N.D. Cal.). You can read the AFT's Press Release about joining the case here.

See recent updates and learn more about what is at stake at our Government Shutdown Watch page.

The AFT has worked tirelessly with our three federal locals, including the Federation of Indian Service Employees, to resist the attacks on federal workers. FISE leaders and members have met with members of Congress, spoken to the media, and made it clear that attacks on Native Americans are unacceptable. This work resulted in the Office of Personnel Management walking back its attack on probationary employees, and the Department of the Interior rehired many of them. As of July 8, 2025, the Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to pursue mass federal government layoffs. FISE is continuing to educate members about the evolving federal situation.

The AFT has worked to protect federal workers and the communities they serve by fighting in the streets, in the courts and in Congress.

Oct. 18, 2025: The AFT is involved in the upcoming No Kings day of action—gathering in every corner of America to defend our freedoms, our democracy and our future. Together, we will say loud and clear: No thrones. No crowns. No kings. We are building community, not division, and demanding dignity, affordability and opportunity for all. Click here to find or create an event near you, and click here for a toolkit with useful resources for hosting your own No Kings mobilization.

Aug. 14, 2025: The AFT won a major legal victory after the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland made a sweeping ruling, declaring that the Trump administration’s attempt to require school districts throughout the nation to censor lessons, abandon student support programs and certify their compliance with the administration’s unlawful interpretation of civil rights was unconstitutional. Read our news release.

July 17, 2025: The AFT was one of the major organizations involved in the nationwide No Kings protests against authoritarianism and threats to democracy. Over 5 million people across the country joined this historic protest, estimated to be the largest single day of action in American history. You can watch a highlight reel and read President Randi Weingarten’s June New York Times column about taking action against authoritarianism.

June-July 2025: The AFT fought hard against Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”—also known as the “big, ugly betrayal”—by encouraging our members to contact their representatives in Congress and launching a multistate six-figure ad buy opposing the legislation.

May 16, 2025: The AFT joined with AFSCME, the National Education Association and the Service Employees International Union to launch “Put Families First,” a campaign to stop federal budget cuts to public services. Read our news release.

April 24, 2025: The AFT sued over the Trump administration's deadline to end school and college diversity programs and won a preliminary injunction in this case. Read our news release.

March 18, 2025: The AFT sued the Department of Education for effectively breaking the student loan system, denying borrowers access to affordable loan payments and blocking progress toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Read our news release and share your story if you have been affected by the recent Trump-engineered failures of the student loan system.

March 4, 2025: The AFT held more than 2,000 events and activities as part of the Protect Our Kids day of action. Among the events: a virtual teach-in in Detroit; a rally at the New York Capitol in Albany; a “clap-in” for students in Cincinnati; “walk-ins” in Chicago and Albuquerque, N.M.; letter writing in Pittsburgh and Fairfax County, Va.; and news conferences in Florida, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. Read our news release and find more information here.

Feb. 24, 2025: The AFT successfully sued to block the Department of Education and the federal personnel office from sharing data with DOGE, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Read our news release.

Get The Facts: How Trump's Joint Address to Congress Impacts Public Employees. In his address to Congress, President Trump glossed over how his recent actions have harmed public employees. He also amplified his lies about federal savings and made it clear that his plan is to further enrich billionaires and corporations, not lower costs for working Americans.

Trump's Big, Ugly Betrayal: Working Families Pay, Billionaires Profit. Learn about Trump’s so-called big, beautiful bill, which sells out working people to reward billionaires, offshores our jobs and guts the protections union members have fought for.

Democracy Forward Response Center. Real-time analysis of Trump-Vance administration actions; the center offers ways to support legal challenges and provide resources for the pro-democracy community.

Federal Policy Watch. This online tool documents and explains the actions taken by the Trump administration regarding immigration, workers’ rights, unions and organizing, race and gender equity, jobs and wages, health and safety, retirement security, trade, taxes and attacks on regulations.

Center for American Progress. CAP breaks down the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, detailing how its deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare will lead to loss of benefits, increased paperwork requirements and rural hospital closures that will hurt Americans—especially people with disabilities.

Kaiser Family Foundation. This collection of KFF resources breaks down healthcare provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

United for Medical Research. This interactive map shows the impact of National Institutes of Health funding in different states and what the states will lose in medical research funding by state.

American Community Survey Project. This database breaks down the number of federal workers in congressional districts, counties and metro areas across the country, using data from the American Community Survey.

How You Can Protect Democracy. This resource guide from Protect Democracy sets out 29 concrete actions you can take right now to protect democracy.