The USIP states that it has called on the court to stop the government's Office of Efficiency (DOGE) from demolishing the agency, and that it has experienced “literally trespassing and power-taking” by its staff.
“On March 17, 2025, the attack reached its peak with literal trespassing and forced entry by the accused, including a representative of the clumsy at the Institute's headquarters building on Constitutional Avenue. Court filing.
The Institute called for “stop defendants from completing the illegal demolition of the Institute and irreparably hindering the plaintiff's ability to carry out important peace promotion and conflict resolution tasks that Congress has been entrusted with.”
The photos included in the filing show photos of Doge's office after its arrival, with the laboratory's financial documents placed in a bin labeled “Shred.” Another showed a collection of letters lying on the ground after advisory committee staff clearly tore the USIP logo from the wall.
Another court filing includes an affidavit from the USIP Chief Security Officer, explaining a scene in which police encouraged Doge staff to enter the Institute headquarters. On both Friday and Monday, group staff arrived at headquarters along with FBI agents.
At one point on Monday, the company's former private security company (which ended its contract after it was coordinated with Doge) also appeared in the building.[ing] We urge USIP staff to set fire to its lockdown policy.
The lawsuit said Doge officials “looted the office to access and control the laboratory's infrastructure, including confidential computer systems.”
The Institute was one of several small institutions that President Trump targeted. Order February 19th It directs that “reduce the performance of statutory functions and related staff to the minimum presence and function required by law.”
They are also suing the Inter-American Foundation, which tackles issues of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the US African Development Foundation, which was also mentioned in the executive order.
The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel argued that Trump has the right to indict board members from both foundations' boards, but the memo did not touch on USIP.
However, the Institute claims that its structure is slightly different from other institutions that permeated Doge, describing it as an “independent nonprofit organization” in itself. It was founded in 1984 to “assist in the resolution and prevention of violent conflicts.”
“The order mislabeled the institute's government rights.[y]”It was part of 'federal bureaucracy',” the lawsuit says.
And while the committee was appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the lawsuit states that its members can only be removed for “felony, misconduct in duties, permanent disregard of duties, or exemption from duties.”
The lawsuit says the Trump administration violated the constitutionally laid out separation of authority and laws creating USIP.
The judge ordered a 2pm EDT hearing on the emergency motion.
