Baltimore, MD — A federal judge has denied a preliminary injunction request filed by the NAACP and several allied organizations seeking to stop the Trump administration from dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to meet the legal standard for immediate relief.
The lawsuit, brought in March by a coalition of civil rights groups, labor unions, and individuals, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Education Association, accuses the administration of acting unconstitutionally in its efforts to shutter the department, a move President Trump vowed to pursue during his 2024 campaign.
Plaintiffs argued that since taking office on January 20, the administration has engaged in an “ultra vires” campaign to dismantle the Department of Education in violation of multiple constitutional provisions, including the Take Care Clause and the Appropriations Clause, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act.
At the heart of the case is the claim that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the executive branch are attempting to abolish the department without congressional approval, a move plaintiffs say violates the separation of powers and would cause immediate and irreparable harm to students, families, and educators across the country.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin, however, denied the request for preliminary injunction without prejudice, concluding that while the complaint raises significant legal questions, the plaintiffs failed to show a likelihood of success on the merits or demonstrate the kind of imminent harm required to justify immediate judicial intervention.
In the same ruling, the judge also administratively denied the federal government’s motion to dismiss the case, allowing the underlying legal challenge to proceed while further arguments are developed.
The amended complaint, filed in July, includes five counts alleging constitutional and statutory violations, and names the United States, the Department of Education, and Secretary McMahon as defendants.
For now, the Department of Education remains operational, and the Biden-era policies that were dismantled early in Trump’s second term continue to be a flashpoint for litigation.
Key Points
- A federal judge denied the NAACP’s request to block the Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education.
- The court ruled plaintiffs failed to show imminent harm or likelihood of success on the merits.
- The government’s motion to dismiss was also denied for now, allowing the broader case to proceed.
A court setback for civil rights groups fighting to keep the Education Department alive amid Trump’s promised shutdown.
