PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined attorneys general from 18 other states in filing an amicus brief in defense of the Job Corps program, a federally funded initiative that provides housing, education, and career training to low-income youth across the United States.
Filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the brief argues that the Trump Administration’s attempted termination of Job Corps is illegal and would leave thousands of young Americans — many of whom were homeless or in foster care before enrolling — without housing or support.
“Job Corps offers critical career training and housing to young Arizonans from low-income backgrounds,” Mayes said. “For more than sixty years, it has helped young people from all corners of our state gain the skills they need to succeed and thrive in the workforce. It is unconscionable and unlawful for the Trump administration to terminate such a vital program.”
The legal filing emphasizes that millions of youth have benefitted from Job Corps’ unique model, which blends education, job readiness, housing, and health care services. With nearly 100 residential campuses nationwide, the program serves thousands currently relying on it for basic stability.
Led by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, the coalition includes legal leaders from Arizona, Colorado, California, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Hawaii, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
The coalition maintains that the termination of Job Corps violates federal law and undermines congressional intent in workforce development and education.
