Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford achieved a significant legal victory against the Trump Administration's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE). On March 13, AG Ford joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the administration following its announcement to eliminate 50% of the DOE’s workforce. This was followed by a March 20 executive order directing the closure of the DOE and President Trump's March 21 directive for the immediate transfer of student loan management and special education services outside of the Department.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has granted a preliminary injunction, halting these policies and ordering reinstatement for all employees affected by layoffs.
“This is more than a legal win; it’s a line in the sand. Tearing down the Department of Education is a direct attack on our future – and I am relieved that vital resources will not be unlawfully ripped away from our children while this lawsuit proceeds,” said AG Ford. He emphasized, “Education is one of the most vital services our government can provide, and to attempt to rip it away without thought and without legal authority is a slap in the face to both our children and our educators."
AG Ford, who has personal ties to public education as a former math teacher and parent, vowed to oppose what he termed an illegal attempt by the Trump administration.
The coalition's lawsuit contends that dismantling the DOE without congressional approval violates constitutional provisions since it is an executive agency established by Congress with laws governing its operations. They also argue that mass layoffs infringe upon the Administrative Procedures Act.
Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont and the District of Columbia have joined AG Ford in this legal action.