NY Attorney General Letitia James joined California Attorney General Rob Bonta to announce that 18 attorneys general across the country are suing the Trump administration over cuts to education funding.

James, along with the attorneys general from Illinois, Minnesota, and California were on Zoom call Friday, announcing they will sue the Trump administration over billions of dollars of cuts in state education funding.

James said the lawsuit is being filed to protect our freedom, saying she won’t allow the Trump administration to take away essential resources.

The U.S. Department of Education told state education agencies that continue receiving essential federal funding they must sign certification to not engage in “illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion” practices.

The deadline to sign it was Thursday. New York along with many other states didn’t sign it, with James saying it’s unlawful, and these funds are vital for schools.

Other states in the lawsuit include New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

Hear James talk about how much money those funds add up to in New York state by watching the video of Zach Richter’s story.