Supreme Court Greenlights Trump’s Education Department Layoffs Amid Controversy

In a sharply divided decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump to proceed with the layoff of nearly 1,400 employees from the Department of Education, reigniting debate over executive authority and the future of federal education policy.

The ruling pauses a lower court’s injunction that had blocked the layoffs, which critics argue could “cripple” the department’s ability to fulfill its statutory duties, including oversight of special education, financial aid distribution, and civil rights enforcement. The layoffs are part of Trump’s broader plan to dismantle the department—a campaign promise that has faced fierce legal resistance from school districts, teachers’ unions, and a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, issued a scathing dissent, warning that the decision undermines the Constitution’s separation of powers. “When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it,” Sotomayor wrote.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended the move, calling it a necessary step toward streamlining federal operations and shifting discretionary functions to the states. However, opponents argue that the layoffs amount to an unauthorized closure of the department, which was established by Congress in 1979.

With the injunction lifted, the administration is now free to continue its reorganization efforts, though legal challenges remain ongoing. The case could have far-reaching implications for federal agency governance and the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.