On May 2, 2025, President Trump proposed a new 2026 budget that would eliminate funding to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the country’s largest funder of civil legal aid. In Illinois, LSC provides $18 million to three legal aid organizations, including Legal Aid Chicago, which serves Cook County.

The budget proposal is framed “as part of the Administration’s plans to move the Nation toward fiscal responsibility and to redefine the proper role of the Federal Government.” This includes a request for $21 million to issue a closeout of LSC in 2026. 

Many problems arise from such actions. Legal Aid Chicago Executive Director Katherine Shank noted that “LSC funding is foundational. It’s the core that allows us to leverage other grants and keep our doors open.” Without such funding, the “entire legal aid ecosystem in Illinois would be at risk.”

Currently, Legal Aid Chicago focuses on helping individuals with domestic violence issues, housing evictions, and public services like food stamps, disability, and veterans benefits. Shank emphasized that for many clients, Legal Aid is their only means of accessing justice, and without that support, they are left to navigate the complex system alone. Without sufficient funding, legal aid service providers are forced to downsize programs, staff, branch offices, and legal resource clinics. As a result, many people are left  unable to address significant legal problems.

A recent Legal Services Corporation (LSC) analysis of over 50 studies revealed that civil legal aid produces a strong economic return, averaging $7 in benefits for every $1 invested. The report highlights the positive economic impact that can be made by civil legal aid by preventing and solving legal problems such as emergency medical care, law enforcement involvement, and shelter dependency. Legal aid also improves family stability, which increases participation in local economies and reduces dependence on other forms of assistance. The Chicago Council of Lawyers believes that the Administration should reconsider these proposals, as 130 legal aid organizations with over 900 offices throughout the country will suffer the alarming consequences from the elimination of funding to LSC. Such actions will not only hurt the involved parties but also cause a “ripple effect” that will strip people of the justice they deserve while aggravating further legal problems that both Legal Aid Chicago and LSC aim to address.