Democratic Attorneys General Sue Trump Administration over Education Department Cuts

By Evans Momodu
Published 17:07 UK GMT

A coalition of more than 20 Democratic attorneys general, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, has filed a federal lawsuit to block significant cuts to the Department of Education imposed by the Trump administration.

The lawsuit follows the mass firing of over 1,300 employees in a single day, a move seen as part of Trump’s long-standing goal to dismantle the agency entirely.

According to the lawsuit, the drastic cuts will have devastating effects on states, which rely on millions to billions in federal education funding annually. The reductions will impact:

• Students from low-income families and those with special needs.
• The Office for Civil Rights, which handles discrimination and sexual assault cases in schools.
• Financial aid processing, affecting students who depend on federal grants, loans, and work-study programs.

“This outrageous effort to leave students behind and deprive them of a quality education is reckless and illegal,” said Letitia James.

Trump has long advocated for eliminating the Department of Education, a stance backed by Project 2025, a conservative agenda led by the Heritage Foundation.

Reports indicate that he is preparing an executive order to shut down the department, though such a move would require Congressional approval.

During an interview, Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed that Trump’s directive was to shut down the department, calling the layoffs the "first step in eliminating bureaucratic bloat."

The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts federal court, argues that Trump’s actions are unconstitutional and illegal, stating:

“The executive branch cannot abolish an agency or incapacitate it by cutting the personnel required to implement its Congress-authorised programs.”

The states joining the lawsuit include California, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Washington, and New Jersey, among others.

This is one of several lawsuits filed by Democratic attorneys general against the Trump administration’s policies. A separate suit was filed last week opposing cuts to teacher training programs.

With legal battles mounting, the fate of federal education funding and the Department of Education now rests in the hands of the courts.
Source: The Guardian