Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education blocked by federal judge

A federal judge blocked United States President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the United States Department of Education, Thursday, May 22, 2025 in Massachusetts.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun stopped the Trump administration from carrying out its plans to dismantle the Education Department by issuing a preliminary injunction, a court order that can be granted “early in a lawsuit to stop the defendant from continuing his or her allegedly harmful actions,” according to law.cornell.edu.

Joun stated that the layoffs created as a result of the executive order passing would “likely cripple the Department. The idea that Defendants’ actions are merely a ‘reorganization’ is plainly not true.”

Joun also ordered that the Education Department reinstate its 1,300 federal employees that were placed on administrative leave due to the Department’s layoff announcement on Mar. 11, 2025, which stated that a reduction of the Department’s force “is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States Education System.”

This ruling comes from the consolidation of two separate cases, each arguing that Trump’s plans to dismantle the Education Department is illegal.

Hours after Joun’s ruling was made, the Trump administration appealed it saying, “once again, a far-left Judge has dramatically overstepped his authority, based on a complaint from biased plaintiffs, and issued an injunction against the obviously lawful efforts to make the Department of Education more efficient and functional for the American people,” according to a statement made by spokesperson Madi Biedermann.