A federal judge has prevented President Donald Trump from dismantling the Department of Education, stating that such actions require approval from Congress. This decision, issued by US District Judge Mein Jun, halts the significant cuts in the Department of Education that had been proposed in March. It also mandates that employees who were terminated during this time should be reinstated.
The ruling brought attention to Trump’s recurring campaign promises to eliminate the department, indicating his aim to reduce its influence as a method of accomplishing this. Judge Joun remarked, “The notion that the defendant’s actions amount to a mere ‘reorganization’ is clearly unsubstantiated.”
According to the ruling, while the administration concedes that closing the department is not within its power without Congressional consent, it maintains that its legislative aspirations differ from its operational goals, which focus on enhancing efficiency. The judge noted that there isn’t any evidence to support these conflicting assertions.
The Department of Education responded to the ruling, labeling Judge Joun a “far left judge” who overstepped his bounds.
In a statement, spokesperson Maddie Biederman said that both President Trump and the Education Secretary are not “elected judges” aiming to “crush political opposition” but rather have the authority to manage agency reorganizations. She insisted that the ruling does not serve the interests of American students and families, asserting that the administration will challenge it soon.
This legal development follows another federal court ruling that blocked the Trump administration from dismissing two Democrats from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
Judge Reggie Walton highlighted that a unilateral dismissal would hinder the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities, emphasizing that the board represents interests mandated by Congress and the American public.
The Oversight Committee was established by Congress to ensure that federal counterterrorism strategies align with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Act. Two plaintiffs, Travis LeBlanc and Edward Felten, claimed in their lawsuit that board members could not be dismissed without valid reasons. In defense, Trump’s lawyers argued that imposing such protections would be unjust, given that board members from other agencies have specific job security provisions.
White House spokesman Harrison Fields stated, “The Constitution empowers President Trump to remove personnel who enforce his directives.” He expressed optimism for a favorable resolution on this matter.
