A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration on Monday over its attempts to restrict undocumented immigrants’ access to federal health and safety net programs.

The suit, led by New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, comes after several federal agencies announced earlier this month that they would no longer allow unauthorized immigrants to benefit from more than a dozen health and education programs, including Head Start, an early education program for low-income children. Trump administration officials said the changes would ensure that federal benefits were reserved for American citizens.

The states said the changes had already caused significant disruption and that providers could struggle to verify the citizenship status of all recipients. They also said the administration’s actions could result in the “collapse of some of the nation’s most vital public programs” and cause some citizens to be denied benefits if they lack government-issued identification.

“These programs work because they are open, accessible and grounded in compassion,” Ms. James said in a statement. “Now, the federal government is pulling that foundation out from under us overnight, jeopardizing cancer screenings, early childhood education, primary care and so much more.”

White House officials said that many Americans rely on government assistance to get back on their feet.

“When illegal aliens exploit these resources, it is at the expense of Americans in desperate need of them,” Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement. “President Trump was elected based on his promise to put Americans first, and that’s exactly what this administration is committed to doing.”