New York Attorney General Letitia James and 22 other states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration over abruptly cutting billions of dollars in state health funding.

These cuts come as part of a plan announced last week by the Trump White House to pull back $11.4 billion in COVID-19-related funds for local public health departments and other organizations across the country. The Department of Health and Human Services says it will stop spending money on responding to what it claims is a nonexistent pandemic.

That amount includes $300 million for New York. James said at least 23 public health employees have already been laid off, further layoffs are likely and more than 200 local organizations statewide have now lost funding.

“The Trump administration’s illegal and irresponsible decision to claw back life-saving health funding is an attack on the well-being of millions of Americans,” James said in a statement. “Slashing this funding now will reverse our progress on the opioid crisis, throw our mental health systems into chaos, and leave hospitals struggling to care for patients. My office is taking immediate action to stop this heartless and shortsighted move and ensure these life-saving programs remain intact.”

James in the lawsuit said that if funding is not restored, key public health programs and initiatives across the country will have to be dissolved and disbanded, and thousands of health care workers will lose their jobs.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said last week the cuts would impact the state Department of Health, Office of Addiction Supports and Services and Office of Mental Health.