“This is about protecting students, educators and the heart of our educational system.”

Attorney General Rayfield today joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction as part of their lawsuit to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED). On March 13, the coalition filed its lawsuit after the Trump administration announced plans to eliminate 50 percent of the Department’s workforce.

A week later, President Trump issued an Executive Order directing the closure of ED. A day later, he announced that, in addition to implementing layoffs, the Department must “immediately” transfer student loan management and special education services outside of the Department. Attorney General Rayfield and the coalition are seeking a court order to immediately stop the mass layoffs and transfer of services.

“This is about protecting students, educators and the heart of our educational system from this reckless dismantling that will strip vital resources and support for students,” Rayfield said. “Also, moving student loan services without adequate oversight or planning could leave countless Oregonians struggling with confusion and financial hardship.”

As Attorney General Rayfield and the coalition assert, the Trump administration’s attacks on ED have already had serious consequences for families and students throughout the country. Mass layoffs of ED staff have led to the closure of the Department’s Office of Civil Rights locations throughout the country. Critical funding for state school systems has also been delayed. As the attorneys general argue, states rely on billions of dollars every year in funding for elementary and secondary education, services for children with disabilities, vocational education, adult education, and other crucial services. All these programs will be severely disrupted if the administration’s incapacitation of the Department is not stopped.

The coalition argues in its lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction that the Trump administration’s attacks on ED are illegal and unconstitutional. The Department is an executive agency authorized by Congress, with numerous laws creating its various programs and funding streams. The coalition’s lawsuit asserts that the executive branch does not have the legal authority to unilaterally dismantle it without an act of Congress. In addition, the attorneys general argue that ED’s mass layoffs violate the Administrative Procedures Act.

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