A federal appeals court has upheld a lower-court judge’s decision to block President Donald Trump’s administration from moving forward with its executive order aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, rejected the administration’s request to lift the injunction that had been issued by a district judge last week, following lawsuits filed by several Democratic-led states, school districts, and teachers’ unions.
Background of the Case
In March 2025, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced plans to terminate over 1,300 employees from the Education Department, a move that would reduce the department’s workforce by half.
This announcement came just a week before President Trump signed an executive order aimed at shutting down the Education Department. Trump’s plan followed a campaign promise to conservatives, which proposed leaving most education policy in the hands of states and local school boards.
Following the executive order, the Trump administration also announced plans to transfer key responsibilities from the Department of Education, including the student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and special education, nutrition, and related services to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Judge’s Ruling
The U.S. District Court Judge Myong Joun ruled on May 22, 2025, that the mass termination of employees was effectively an attempt by the Trump administration to shut down the department without proper congressional approval, which was required since Congress created the agency in 1979.
Judge Joun determined that such drastic staff reductions would make it “impossible” for the department to continue carrying out its statutory responsibilities.
He also emphasized that the layoffs were not a legitimate effort to streamline the agency, as the administration had argued, but rather a de facto closure of the agency itself.
Appeals Court Ruling
Despite the Trump administration’s appeal, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on June 4, 2025, to uphold the district court’s order, blocking the mass layoffs.
The Department of Justice had requested a swift ruling to allow them to bring the case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary, but the appeals court rejected their request.
This means that, for now, the administration must comply with the lower court’s decision, which calls for the reinstatement of the affected employees.
The Administration’s Argument
The Trump administration has maintained that the job cuts were part of an effort to streamline the Department of Education and eliminate government bloat, citing the need to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
However, Judge Joun ruled that the cuts were not simply about reducing inefficiencies, but rather about shutting down the department itself without the required authorization from Congress.
In response to the ruling, the Education Department announced on June 3 that it had informed the terminated employees about the judge’s order, with plans to comply with the court’s decision and reinstate the affected staff.
Next Steps and Potential Future Developments
The Trump administration has indicated its intent to continue appealing the decision. While the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals has denied its request to lift the injunction, the Justice Department could still seek further action through the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.
However, for now, the court’s decision has temporarily blocked the administration’s plans to move forward with the Education Department’s downsizing and has ordered the reinstatement of the workers who were laid off.