Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court To Leave Mass Layoffs At Education Department In Place

President Donald Trump’s administration has requested the Supreme Court to halt a court order that reinstated Education Department employees who were terminated in mass layoffs as part of Trump’s plan to dismantle the agency. The Justice Department argued that U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston overstepped his authority by issuing a preliminary injunction that reversed the layoffs of nearly 1,400 employees and halted the broader plan. The administration’s appeal to the high court aims to block Joun’s order, which has impeded Trump’s efforts to streamline the department. The judge’s decision to reinstate the employees was seen as detrimental to the administration’s policy of eliminating discretionary functions and delegating responsibilities to the states. The case involves two lawsuits filed by school districts, education groups, Democratic attorneys general, and others, who argued that the layoffs hindered the department’s ability to fulfill its obligations mandated by Congress, such as supporting special education, distributing financial aid, and enforcing civil rights laws. The Supreme Court previously blocked Joun’s order to maintain teacher-training grants, indicating a precedent for the current case.