Attorney General Nick Brown joins coalition to block Trump's Department of Education cuts

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Attorney General Nick Brown, along with a coalition of 21 state attorneys general, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to halt President Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.

The legal action follows a lawsuit filed on March 13 against the Trump administration's plan to eliminate half of the department's workforce.

The attorneys general are responding to a March 20 executive order and a subsequent March 21 announcement by President Trump, which directed the Department to "immediately" transfer student loan management and special education services outside of its jurisdiction, according to Brown's office.

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The coalition is seeking a court order to stop these mass layoffs and service transfers, which they argue have not been approved by Congress, according to Brown's office.

The devastating cuts and layoffs at the Department of Education will directly harm Washington’s youth and their families," said Brown. "Our office will fight to defend the education and health of our students from President Trump’s illegal order.

The attorneys general claim that the Trump administration's actions have already had serious consequences for families and students nationwide, including in Washington state.

Brown and his colleagues assert that the Trump administration's actions are illegal and unconstitutional, as the Department of Education is an executive branch agency authorized by Congress, with laws guiding its programs and funding, according to Brown's office.

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The lawsuit contends that the executive branch lacks the legal authority to dismantle the department without congressional approval. The attorneys general also argue that the mass layoffs violate the Administrative Procedures Act.

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