Judge blocks Trump’s order to shut down the Education Department

Pres. Trump orders elimination of Dept. of Education

Political Analyst, Madeline Summerville, joins LiveNOW from FOX to talk about President Trump's executive order to eliminate the Department of Education. New York's Attorney General said in a statement, "Donald Trump’s attempt to shut down the U.S. Department of Education will harm tens of millions of students, including disabled and low-income students who rely on this agency to access a quality education, and it’s illegal. We will see this administration in court."

President Donald Trump’s executive order to close the Education Department and lay off thousands of employees cannot take effect yet, a judge ruled Thursday. 

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from shutting down the department and ordering the agency to rehire the employees who were let go in mass layoffs. 

What did the judge say? 

The backstory:

Two school districts in Massachusetts joined the American Federation of Teachers and other education groups in suing the Trump administration. 

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The groups claimed the layoffs amounted to an illegal shutdown of the Education Department, leaving it unable to function as required by Congress, including duties to support special education, distribute financial aid and enforce civil rights laws.

What they're saying:

In his order, Joun said the plaintiffs painted a "stark picture of the irreparable harm that will result from financial uncertainty and delay, impeded access to vital knowledge on which students and educators rely, and loss of essential services for America’s most vulnerable student populations."

FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive orders about classroom discipline in the Oval Office at the White House on April 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Layoffs of that scale, he added, "will likely cripple the Department."

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What’s next: Joun ordered the Education Department to reinstate federal workers who were terminated as part of the March 11 layoff announcement.

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Why does Trump want to shut down the Education Department? 

The other side:

The Trump administration says the layoffs are aimed at efficiency, not a department shutdown. Trump has called for the closure of the agency but recognizes it must be carried out by Congress, the government said.

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The administration has said that restructuring the agency "may impact certain services until the reorganization is finished" but it’s committed to fulfilling its statutory requirements.