In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday (July 14) overturned a lower court's ruling, allowing President Trump's executive order to terminate 1,400 employees at the Department of Education to take effect. The move reverses a preliminary injunction issued by a Boston federal judge on May 22, which had blocked the dismissals over concerns that the mass layoffs could paralyze the department's operations.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon welcomed the ruling, stating that the president, as head of the executive branch, holds ultimate authority over federal agencies' staffing and organizational structure. Regrettably, Supreme Court intervention was necessary to enforce this presidential directive, she added. The Justice Department had appealed to the high court for emergency relief after the initial injunction.
Meanwhile, more than 20 states jointly sued the federal government on Monday over its freeze on billions of dollars in funding for after-school and summer programs serving an estimated 1.4 million children and youth nationwide. Led by California, the lawsuit argues that withholding these education grants violates constitutional principles and federal laws, disproportionately harming low-income families who rely on such programs.
The twin developments mark the latest flashpoints in ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and states over education policy and federal overreach. While the Supreme Court's decision strengthens presidential authority over executive agencies, the multi-state lawsuit challenges the administration's spending priorities as undermining equal access to educational opportunities.
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