A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The judge’s order stops plans to fire roughly half of the department’s workforce, halt major layoffs, and prevent transfers of key functions such as federal student loan oversight and special education programs to other agencies. The ruling underscores that the DOE cannot be effectively closed or hollowed out by executive directive alone, since Congress — not the president — created and authorized the agency.
The judge’s action came in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 20 state attorneys general — including Michigan, Hawai‘i, Maryland, and Wisconsin — along with school districts and unions. They argued that the administration’s cuts and transfers were unlawful and unconstitutional, violating statutory mandates and threatening essential services and funding streams millions of students depend on. Historically, the DOE was created by Congress in 1979, and states asserted that fundamentally dismantling it without legislative approval would exceed executive authority.
The injunction requires the DOE to reinstate employees who were laid off or placed on leave as part of the reduction‑in‑force and stops the administration from carrying out further layoffs or transferring core responsibilities to other federal agencies. Judge Myong J. Joun, in his ruling, stated that a department stripped of its statutory workforce cannot carry out its mission, affirming that the administration must preserve the DOE’s ability to fulfill its legal duties.
The court’s decision safeguards major federal education programs — including student loan servicing, special education oversight, civil rights enforcement, and compliance monitoring — which impact millions of families, students, and educational institutions. Advocates for the injunction highlighted how abrupt restructuring could have delayed payments, disrupted compliance oversight, and weakened protections for students with disabilities and vulnerable populations.
Earlier in 2025, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the DOE, framing it as a return of authority to states and communities and a reduction of what his administration described as “bureaucratic bloat.” However, critics — including Democratic lawmakers and education advocates — called the move unlawful and warned it would undermine federal support for civil rights, Pell Grants, Title I funding, and equal access to quality education.
The administration has indicated plans to appeal the injunction, and litigation is ongoing. Some appellate developments — including discussions about presidential authority over executive agencies and separation of powers — could shape how far the executive branch can go in restructuring or reducing federal departments without Congress’s consent. The final outcome may set a significant precedent for executive power, federal education policy, and how future administrations approach reorganization of executive agencies.
