Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a coalition of 21 attorneys general, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education. This legal action follows an earlier lawsuit filed on March 13, in response to the administration's plan to reduce the department's workforce by half.
The coalition is reacting to a series of recent actions by the Trump administration, including a March 20 executive order to close the Department of Education and President Trump's subsequent announcement on March 21. The announcement included directives for immediate layoffs and transferring student loan management and special education services outside the department.
"States, including Illinois, are already feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education," Raoul stated. He expressed concern over upcoming enrollment deadlines for Illinois' public colleges and universities and emphasized that these actions threaten educational futures. Raoul highlighted the department's essential role in ensuring equal access to education for students with disabilities and protecting against discrimination.
The coalition argues that these administrative moves have already resulted in significant disruptions. The closure of Office of Civil Rights locations nationwide and delays in critical funding for state school systems are among their concerns. They emphasize that states depend on federal funding for various educational programs, which would be severely affected if these changes proceed.
Raoul and his colleagues contend that the Trump administration's efforts are both illegal and unconstitutional. They assert that only Congress has the authority to dismantle an executive agency like the Department of Education, as it was established through legislative acts. Additionally, they argue that mass layoffs contravene the Administrative Procedures Act.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in this legal effort are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.