AG James Blocks Trump’s ED Dismantling Attempt

New York Attorney General Letitia James has scored a decisive victory against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. Today, a court order was granted that halts the controversial plan to slash 50 percent of the Department’s workforce and transfer critical services.

The legal battle began when AG James led a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in challenging the administration’s plans on March 13. The lawsuit argued that the executive branch overstepped its authority by attempting to dismantle an agency created by Congress without Congressional approval.

On March 20, President Trump issued an executive order directing the closure of the Department, and just a day later, he announced the layoffs and transfer of student loan management and special education services. Today’s court order comes as a relief for educators and students across the nation, who had feared losing access to vital educational resources.

Attorney General James emphasized the importance of maintaining support for schools and teachers. ‘This administration’s illegal cuts are an attack on every student’s access to a quality education,’ she said. ‘Today we successfully put a stop to this outrageous attempt to leave our students behind and deprive our schools of the resources they need.’

The coalition’s lawsuit also asserts that the mass layoffs violate the Administrative Procedures Act, which requires federal agencies to follow proper procedures in making significant changes. The court’s decision means that all employees fired as part of the layoffs must be reinstated.

Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

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