Public Citizen: Lawsuits Filed Against the Trump Administration
The nonprofit, Public Citizen, has filed 33 lawsuits against the administration since Donald Trump returned to power almost a year ago. In 2025-26, the organization has filed three suits of interest:
Attack on Authorized Immigrant Workers
The Department of Transportation issued a rule that prohibits asylum seekers, refugees, and DACA recipients — immigrants who are legally authorized to work in the U.S. — from getting or renewing commercial driver’s licenses.
This rule threatens the livelihoods of 200,000 truck drivers, bus drivers, and delivery drivers. It will also hurt countless businesses, as well as schools and potentially millions of American consumers, that depend on these drivers.
Public Citizen has filed a procedural motion to help move the case along quickly.
“Gold Card” Visas
Public Citizen filed to stop a scheme that would let people get visas intended for those with specialized knowledge or skills by making a payment of $1,000,000 to the U.S. government. The administration is calling it the “Trump Gold Card.”
Public Citizens’ lawsuit asks a federal court to declare it illegal.
Secret Deals with Big Pharma
Public Citizen has sued to force the administration to reveal details of its agreements with pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Eli Lilly. Under the Freedom of Information Act, Public Citizen called for the administration to release the agreements. It did not, so Public Citizen is taking it to court.
The administration’s response to the lawsuit is due later in February.
Hiding Who Meets with Key Officials
On January 5, Public Citizen also sued to make the administration stop hiding the names of wealthy individuals and corporate executives who have been meeting with Trump’s Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick.
Public Citizen represents a client who filed a Freedom of Information Act request on Sept. 8, 2025, for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s calendar. The administration estimated that it would take almost three years to respond. Public Citizen is suing to provide the information with no additional delays.
The administration’s response to the lawsuit is due in March.
