Federal Court Halts Trump’s Push to Eliminate DOE, Orders Full Restoration of Staff and Functions
In a major legal clash over federal power and education policy, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, a Biden appointee, issued a sweeping preliminary injunction Thursday blocking the Trump administration’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE).
President Donald Trump had signed an executive order in March 2025 to shut down the department, transferring its responsibilities—including federal student loans and special education oversight—to other agencies or state control. The move was part of Trump’s broader “deconstruction of the administrative state” and a promise to return education control to local communities.
“The Department of Education has become a bloated bureaucracy that’s more interested in pushing its own agenda than in helping our kids learn,” Trump said in March.
“It’s time to put the power back in the hands of parents, teachers, and local communities.”
Judge Joun: “Shutting Down the Department Requires Congressional Approval”
In his ruling, Judge Joun declared that Trump’s executive actions exceeded presidential authority, emphasizing that Congress—not the Executive Branch—created the Department of Education through statute, and therefore Congress must authorize any attempt to dismantle it.
The injunction halts the reduction-in-force announced on March 11, 2025, and blocks implementation of both the March 20 executive order and the March 21 directive that aimed to reassign DOE functions to other agencies.
Key Provisions of the Ruling:
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All layoffs halted: DOE staff fired or eliminated since January 20, 2025, must be reinstated.
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Trump’s executive orders suspended: All actions taken to eliminate or reduce DOE functions are nullified pending further legal review.
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Status reports required: The administration must file weekly updates showing compliance with the order.
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Full restoration of operations: The Department must return to its pre-2025 operational structure and staffing.
The injunction is effective immediately and remains in force until the litigation concludes or a ruling on the merits is issued.
What This Means Politically
The ruling is a major blow to Trump’s second-term agenda, which has included bold moves to eliminate or defund federal agencies deemed unnecessary or ideologically compromised. Education, in particular, has been a key battleground, with Trump accusing the DOE of pushing leftist ideology and failing students.
Supporters of the order argue that education is not a constitutional federal function and should be returned to the states, while critics claim Trump’s plan would harm students with disabilities, undermine civil rights enforcement, and disrupt student loan programs.
What Comes Next
The Trump administration is expected to appeal the injunction, likely pushing the case toward the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, legal scholars are debating the limits of executive authority and whether a future president can unilaterally dissolve a cabinet-level department without legislative action.
For now, the Department of Education lives on—restored by the courts, but targeted by the White House.
This case is not just about one agency. It’s about the scope of presidential power in restructuring the federal government—and who gets to decide what institutions survive in a divided republic.
