Washington State Wins Court Order Stopping Dismantling of Department of Education

SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown and a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general today won a court order stopping the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

On March 13, the coalition of attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its plans to cut 50 percent of Department of Education’s s workforce. Following a March 20 Executive Order directing the closure of the Department and President Trump’s March 21 announcement that, in addition to implementing layoffs, the Department must “immediately” transfer student loan management and special education services outside of the Department, Attorney General Brown and the coalition sought a preliminary injunction to immediately stop the mass layoffs and transfer of services.

Today the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the preliminary injunction, halting the administration’s policies that would dismantle the Department of Education and ordering all employees who were fired as part of the layoffs to be reinstated.

“Today’s injunction supports the rule of law, and students and educators around the country,” Brown said. “Our office will fight illegal and unconstitutional executive orders. And we will continue to win.”

The coalition of attorneys general argued in their lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction that the Trump administration’s attacks on the Department of Education are illegal and unconstitutional. It is an executive agency authorized by Congress, with numerous laws creating its programs and funding streams. The lawsuit asserts that the executive branch does not have the legal authority to unilaterally dismantle it without an act of Congress. In addition, the coalition argued that Department of Education’s mass layoffs violate the Administrative Procedures Act.

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

The court order can be found here.

-30-

Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

Media Contact:

Email: press@atg.wa.gov

Phone: (360) 753-2727

General contacts: Click here

Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ