A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Trump’s dismantling of three federal agencies that support libraries, museums, minority businesses and mediation services.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell agreed with 21 Democratic-led states that the shutdowns violate the separation of powers.
“It also disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law Congress enacted and spends the funds Congress appropriated,” McConnell wrote.
The lawsuit stems from Trump’s March 14 executive order that sought to eliminate seven federal agencies, part of his sweeping efforts to slash wide swaths of the federal bureaucracy. The order has quickly led to mass layoffs, grant freezes and other sweeping reductions at the agencies.
“The States have presented compelling evidence illustrating that the harms stemming from the dismantling of IMLS, MBDA, and FMCS are already unfolding or are certain to occur, in light the significant reduction in personnel available and competent to administer these agencies’ funds and services and the elimination of certain programs that served the States,” McConnell wrote.