NEW YORK — A group of state attorneys general led by New York and California filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block T-Mobile’s $26.5 billion bid for Sprint, citing consumer harm.

The state attorneys general said the merger would hurt competition and drive up prices for cellphone service. They said the promised benefits, such as better networks in rural areas and faster service overall, cannot be verified, while eliminating a major wireless company will immediately harm consumers.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that combining the two companies would “cause irreparable harm to mobile subscribers nationwide by cutting access to affordable, reliable wireless service for millions of Americans.” She said the deal would particularly affect lower-income and minority communities in New York and other urban areas.