The Supreme Court has given US President Donald Trump permission to proceed with mass layoffs at the US Education Department. This decision will put around 1,400 employees out of work. In a 6-3 ruling, the Court’s conservative majority overturned a lower court order that had stopped the layoffs and forced the department to reinstate the employees.

Education Secretary Welcomes the Decision

Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the ruling a “significant win”. She said the decision would help carry out Trump’s executive order to shut down the department “as far as the law allows.” According to McMahon, this step supports Trump’s larger plan to shrink the federal government and shift education responsibilities back to the states.

Sotomayor Warns of Serious Risks

However, the decision faced strong opposition from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, supported by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. In her dissent, Sotomayor warned the ruling could lead to a constitutional crisis. She argued that Trump’s move “usurps Congress’s power” since the Education Department was created by Congress itself.

She also warned that the cuts would cause “untold harm” by weakening protections for students with disabilities, reducing civil rights enforcement, and disrupting anti-discrimination programs. Sotomayor suggested the administration’s aim was to “break the law”, pointing to Trump’s earlier promise to eliminate the department.

States and Unions Raise Concerns

Meanwhile, 21 Democratic-led states and teachers’ unions have filed lawsuits to block the layoffs. They argued that removing so many workers would damage essential services. Their key concerns include threats to $1.6 trillion in student loans, cuts to special education services, and reduced funding for low-income schools.

School districts in Massachusetts warned that these cuts could result in delays in financial aid, risking teacher layoffs and long-term damage to education services.

Workers Face Job Losses

Since March, the affected employees have been on paid leave. Now, they are expected to lose their jobs soon. A union official said, “This guts our ability to protect students.”

Trump’s Push to Cut Federal Government Moves Forward

This decision comes shortly after another Supreme Court ruling allowed Trump to reduce the federal workforce in other areas. His plan to “dismantle the administrative state” is now gaining speed.