Defending Public Services

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.

March 28, 2026: The AFT mobilized as part of the third No Kings protests against authoritarianism. This historic day of protest is estimated to have drawn 8 to 9 million people. Check out our highlight reel from this day of action.

March 4, 2026: Thousands of educators, students, parents and community allies participated in over 100 in-person events and online actions around the country as part of the AFT’s “Protect Our Kids, Our Families and Our Communities” national day of action. Read our news release.

Feb. 12, 2026: The AFT filed an emergency motion to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement from indiscriminately operating in and around community-serving spaces, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. As of Spring 2026, this case is ongoing. Read our news release here.

Nov. 3, 2025: The AFT filed a lawsuit against the US. Department of Education, charging the Trump-Vance administration with illegally hijacking the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to silence critics. As of Spring 2026, this case is ongoing. Read our news release here.

Oct. 18, 2025: The AFT was one of the leading organizations involved in the second nationwide No Kings protests against authoritarianism and threats to democracy. Seven million people across the country joined this historic protest, estimated to be one of the largest days of action in American history. You can read AFT President Randi Weingarten’s October New York Times column about this historic day of protest.

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 one of the largest single days of action in American history. You can watch a highlight reel and read AFT 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.