Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Plan to Eliminate Four Federal Agencies as Education Lawsuit Widens

The Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate four small federal government agencies are put on hold indefinitely, after a ruling from a federal judge in Rhode Island.

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a permanent injunction blocking the administration from taking further action to close the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business and Development Agency, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

The judge sided with attorneys general in 21 states who sued to stop the closure, after President Trump issued an executive order in March calling for the agencies to be effectively closed. 

Judge McConnell said the administration’s actions including widespread layoffs and terminating grants “undermined their ability to perform functions mandated by statute.”

"By now, the question presented in this case is a familiar one: may the Executive Branch undertake such actions in circumvention of the will of the Legislative Branch?” wrote Judge McConnell in the order. “In recent months, this Court—along with other courts across the country—has concluded that it may not. That answer remains the same here.”

The administration dropped its appeal of a preliminary injunction against the closures after the permanent injunction was issued. 

Education Lawsuit Expands

Meanwhile, plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education added a new complaint to their filing.

The plaintiffs are now challenging the department’s move to transfer the management of six education programs to other federal agencies. That includes transferring the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education to the U.S. Department of Labor and Indian education programs to the U.S. Department of Interior.

The expanded suit asks for declaratory and injunctive relief against what it describes as the administration’s “unlawful effort to dismantle the Department of Education.”

The Trump Administration however, says the moves will streamline education. 

"The Trump Administration is taking bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Cutting through layers of red tape in Washington is one essential piece of our final mission.”