A coalition of federal employee labor unions, nonprofits and local governments is asking the courts to halt the Trump administration’s reorganization of the Agriculture Department that entails moving thousands of employees away from the Washington, D.C., area to new regional hubs across the country. The plaintiffs are arguing that the pending employee relocations to other areas of the country are an attempt to downsize USDA’s workforce.

“The actions of this administration to reorganize USDA are a ruse for forcing employees to quit because they work on programs — like feeding low-income women and children, protecting our forests or scientific research — that this administration opposes for political reasons,” said Corinne Johnson — a partner at Altshuler Berzon, one of the lead co-counsels representing the plaintiffs — in a statement. “That is unlawful.”

The filing alleges that the USDA reorganization, which officials began to implement this spring, needs congressional approval, as Agriculture’s fiscal 2026 appropriations bill included a provision blocking officials from relocating offices or employees without authorization from the legislative branch. Specifically, the filing is part of an existing lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s reorganization of federal agencies more broadly.