Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Wins Court Order Stopping Dismantling of Department of Education

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May 22, 2025
Attorney Generals Office

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Danna Hayes 

Danna.hayes@maine.gov

 

 

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Wins Court Order Stopping Dismantling of Department of Education

 

 

AUGUSTA – Attorney General Aaron Frey today won a court order stopping the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED). On March 13, Attorney General Frey joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the administration after it announced plans to eliminate 50 percent of ED’s workforce. Following a March 20 Executive Order directing the closure of the ED’s and President Trump’s March 21 announcement that, in addition to implementing layoffs, the Department must “immediately” transfer student loan management and special education services outside of the Department, Attorney General Frey and the coalition sought a preliminary injunction to immediately stop the mass layoffs and transfer of services. Today the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the preliminary injunction, halting the administration’s policies that would dismantle ED’s and ordering all employees who were fired as part of the layoffs to be reinstated. 

 

“Today’s injunction is yet another in a series of wins that demonstrate the Trump Administration is not above the law,” said Attorney General Frey. “My colleagues and I will not stand by while our nation’s foundation is gutted and services that Mainers rely upon are destroyed.”   

 

Attorney General Frey the coalition argued in their lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction that the Trump administration’s attacks on ED are illegal and unconstitutional. The ED is an executive agency authorized by Congress, with numerous laws creating its various programs and funding streams. The coalition’s lawsuit asserts that the executive branch does not have the legal authority to unilaterally dismantle it without an act of Congress. In addition, Attorney General Frey and the coalition argue that ED’s mass layoffs violate the Administrative Procedures Act.

 

Joining Attorney General Frey in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

 

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