Mercer Times

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration's plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. This legal action follows an announcement by the administration to cut 50 percent of the department's workforce and a subsequent executive order directing its closure.

Attorney General Platkin stated, "Shuttering the Department of Education will result in extraordinary harm to students, teachers, and families in our state." He emphasized that President Trump cannot eliminate a Cabinet agency unilaterally and described the administration's actions as a violation of law.

The coalition argues that these measures have already caused significant disruption, including mass layoffs leading to the closure of the Office of Civil Rights locations nationwide and delays in critical funding for state school systems. The lawsuit contends that states depend on billions annually for education services, which are at risk if these actions proceed.

The attorneys general assert that dismantling the department is illegal and unconstitutional since it is an executive agency authorized by Congress. They argue that such actions require congressional approval and claim that mass layoffs violate the Administrative Procedure Act.

Joining Attorney General Platkin are his counterparts from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.