Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief supporting an effort to block erratic and unlawful layoffs and mismanagement at the Social Security Administration (SSA) by Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek and the Department of Government Efficiency. Raoul and the coalition point out that such actions jeopardize continued benefits payments for millions of Americans.
The brief supports the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction in American Association of People with Disabilities v. Dudek, and it was filed today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
“The Trump administration claims that it’s making the Social Security Administration more efficient, but in reality, these seemingly-arbitrary layoffs and office closures are throwing it into chaos,” Raoul said. “Millions of Americans, including more than 2 million Illinoisans, rely on Social Security benefits to pay for everyday necessities. I join my fellow attorneys general in calling for a stop to this mismanagement that is putting the benefits they are entitled to at risk.”
Plaintiffs claim that staffing cuts and reorganization measures implemented by the SSA and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have delayed benefits and limited the SSA’s ability to meet the needs of beneficiaries with disabilities in violation of Section 504(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the First and Fifth Amendments.
Raoul and the coalition argue that staff cuts are exacerbating the SSA’s problems, rather than improving its efficiency. About 2,800 employees have already retired or taken early buyouts promoted by DOGE. The SSA and DOGE are planning even further cuts, despite administrative costs only amounting to 0.5% of the SSA’s budget. Having fewer workers has led to longer lines at field offices and longer wait times on phones. In fact, so far in 2025, callers have waited 50% longer before speaking to a representative. Online users are faring no better after several website crashes. The Office of Transformation, responsible for managing the website, is in the midst of laying off roughly half of its information technology staff.
Raoul and the attorneys general note that for many Americans, Social Security benefits make it possible to meet their most basic needs, including food, shelter and health care. Further, Social Security is the pathway for eligibility for a number of other vital safety net programs, including Medicaid and Medicare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance.
In a recent survey by the National Academy of Social Insurance, 42% of individuals aged 65 and older responded that they would not be able to afford food, clothing or housing if they did not receive their Social Security retirement benefits. Nearly nine out of 10 people aged 65 and older were receiving a Social Security benefit as of Dec. 31, 2024. Of those people, approximately 40% received at least half of their income from Social Security.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in filing the brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
