A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that the Trump administration cannot unilaterally shut down the Job Corps program — a critical residential job training initiative for low-income youth — while legal challenges play out in court.
U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter granted a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, extending a previous temporary restraining order and halting the Department of Labor’s (DOL) plan to close all 99 privately run Job Corps centers across the country by June 30. The judge found that the administration’s actions likely violated federal law by disregarding congressional mandates.
“The DOL is not free to do as it pleases,” Carter wrote in a 24-page ruling. “Once Congress has authorized a program like Job Corps and allocated funding for it, the Department is bound to enforce the law as Congress intended.”
The Job Corps program, established by Congress, offers education and career training to thousands of at-risk youth across the U.S. On May 29, the Labor Department issued a notice instructing all private centers to cease operations by the end of June. In response, the National Job Corps Association and several contractors filed suit, arguing the abrupt closure was illegal, lacked justification, and violated both statute and the DOL’s own regulations.
Judge Carter agreed that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed, sharply criticizing the administration’s attempt to portray the move as a mere “pause” in operations. He said that terminating contracts and halting all activity amounted to a de facto shutdown — one that circumvented proper procedures outlined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
“Defendants claim they’re not closing the centers, but the reality is clear — they are,” Carter wrote. “Their actions go beyond what the law allows.”
The judge also cited multiple damaging admissions made by the administration during court proceedings, including acknowledgments that:
- The executive branch does not have the authority to unilaterally eliminate a congressionally mandated program like Job Corps.
- Thousands of vulnerable youth, including victims of abuse, would be rendered homeless if the program closed.
- The DOL had no plans for how to use the already-appropriated Job Corps funding.
“These concessions make clear the gravity of the situation and the urgency of judicial intervention,” Carter stated.
In response to the ruling, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers pushed back, saying the court had overstepped its bounds and the administration planned to appeal.
“We do not believe the district court had jurisdiction to issue this order,” Rogers said. “The Trump Administration is confident it will ultimately prevail.”
Meanwhile, the National Job Corps Association praised the injunction as a critical safeguard for the students and staff who depend on the program.
“This ruling is a lifeline for tens of thousands of young people whose futures depend on Job Corps,” the group said in a statement. “The pause will help prevent further disruption as we work with Congress and the administration to pursue reforms that better serve our nation’s most vulnerable youth and the employers who rely on their success.”
The legal battle over the future of Job Corps is expected to continue in the coming months.
