Tracking Key Lawsuits Against the Trump Administration

President Donald Trump’s plans to reduce the federal workforce; crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion programs; and cut spending have faced swift pushback from higher education associations, students, legal advocacy organizations and colleges, and they’ve turned to the courts to seek relief.

So far, federal judges have temporarily prevented Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team from accessing student financial aid data and blocked the National Institutes of Health from capping payments for costs indirectly related to research. Elsewhere, legal challenges blocked a freeze on federal grants and loans and stopped the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from laying off employees.

The lawsuits are moving through the courts at a dizzying pace. So here’s the latest on some of the key education-related lawsuits we’re following at Inside Higher Ed.

We’ll update the tracker as necessary, so check back for updates.

Columbia Faculty Challenge Grant Cuts

More than two weeks after the Trump administration cut off $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers sued March 25 to restore that funding. The cuts to federally funded research “have already caused severe and irreparable damage by halting academic research and inquiry,” according to the lawsuit. The faculty groups argue that freezing the funds was a “coercive tactic” that undermines institutional autonomy and harms scientific research.

They want a judge to order the administration to lift the funding freeze and declare the government’s demands for reform unlawful.

• Lawsuit: American Association of University Professors v. United States Department of Justice
  • Plaintiffs: American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers
  • Defendants: The Justice Department; Attorney General Pamela Bondi; Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights and head of antisemitism task force; Education Department; Education Secretary Linda McMahon; Thomas Wheeler, acting general counsel of the Education Department; Health and Human Services Department; HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; National Institutes of Health; Matthew Memoli, acting NIH director; General Services Administration; Stephen Ehikian, acting GSA administrator; Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of Federal Acquisition Service

The Latest: The complaint was filed March 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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Suing Over Trump’s Campus Deportations

The Middle East Studies Association and the American Association of University Professors are aiming to stop the Trump administration’s efforts to deport noncitizen students and faculty who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests. The lawsuit, filed March 25, argues the policy violates the First and Fifth Amendments and the Administrative Procedure Act and has created a “climate of repression and fear on university campuses.”

• Lawsuit: American Association of University Professors v. Rubio
  • Plaintiffs: American Association of University Professors, American Association of University Professors–Harvard Faculty Chapter, American Association of University Professors at New York University, Rutgers American Association of University Professors–American Federation of Teachers, and the Middle East Studies Association
  • Defendants: Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Department of State; Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem; Department of Homeland Security; Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; President Donald J. Trump

The Latest: The complaint was filed March 25 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

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Education Groups Sue Over Dismantling Department

Just four days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the education secretary to close down her department “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law,” plaintiffs want a federal court to declare Trump’s order illegal. 

Other legal experts and bipartisan lawmakers on Capitol Hill have said that the president can not entirely abolish the Department of Education on his own. Only Congress can do so. The plaintiffs argue in the lawsuits that eliminating or severely shrinking the department could harm millions of vulnerable students. 

• Lawsuit: Somerville Public Schools v. Trump
  • Plaintiffs: Somerville Public Schools; Easthampton Public Schools; the American Federation of Teachers; AFT Massachusetts; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 93; the American Association of University Professors; Service Employees International Union
  • Defendants: President Donald Trump, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, U.S. Department of Education

The Latest: The complaint was filed Monday, March 24, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

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Challenging Blockage of Student Loan Repayment Plans

Filed just three weeks after the Trump administration shut down all applications for income-driven repayment plans and digital applications for loan consolidation, this lawsuit seeks to restore access for student borrowers.

The Department of Education hasn’t commented much on the freeze, aside from saying that it was a necessary response to judicial orders. The application platform was shut down after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit blocked the newest income-driven repayment option, known as Saving on a Valuable Education, and declared that the Education Department can’t forgive any loans via income-driven repayment plans. 

Outside experts, however, argue the injunction doesn’t bar borrowers from applying for other IDR plans.

The plaintiffs involved in challenging the shutdown allege that by tying the shutdown to the appeals court ruling, Trump is outright ignoring a congressional mandate to offer loans that tie borrowers’ monthly payments to their income. They also argue the decision will cause irreparable harm, thrusting certain borrowers into default and preventing many teachers from making progress toward loan forgiveness via the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

• Lawsuit: American Federation of Teachers v. U.S. Department of Education
  • Plaintiffs: American Federation of Teachers
  • Defendants: The U.S. Department of Education, Education Secretary Linda McMahon

The Latest: The Department of Education announced March 26 that it will reopen applications, but applications still remain unprocessed. The next hearing is scheduled for April 17.

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States Challenge Education Dept. Layoffs

After the Trump administration laid off nearly half of the Education Department staff, 20 states sued to block the massive reduction in force. They argue in the lawsuit that the cuts amount to an “effective dismantling” of the department and would incapacitate “key, statutorily-mandated functions of the Department.” That would cause “immense damage” to the states and their educational systems.

“But the Trump Administration cannot dismantle the Department of Education,” the complaint says, noting that only Congress can abolish the agency. “It cannot override—whether through large-scale RIFs or otherwise—the statutory framework prescribing the department’s responsibilities.”

• Lawsuit: State of New York v. McMahon
  • Plaintiffs: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
  • Defendants: Education Secretary Linda McMahon and President Donald Trump 

The Latest: The complaint was filed March 13 at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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Fighting Anti-DEI Guidance

Filed just three days before the Department of Education expected colleges to rescind all race-based programming as directed in a Feb. 14 Dear Colleague letter, this lawsuit seeks to block the guidance document entirely. The plaintiffs argue that the letter and its threat to cut federal funding “will do a disservice to students and ultimately the nation by weakening schools as portals to opportunity.”

The groups involved also allege that the directive violates the First and Fifth Amendments, exceeds the agency’s statutory authority, and is “unlawfully vague, conflicts with law, and will chill speech and expression.”

A second, similar lawsuit was filed by the National Education Association on March 5.

• Lawsuit: American Federation of Teachers v. U.S. Department of Education
  • Plaintiffs: The American Federation of Teachers, the American Sociological Association and the American Federation of Teachers–Maryland
  • Defendants: The U.S. Department of Education, acting education secretary Denise Carter and acting assistant secretary of civil rights Craig Trainor

The Latest: The complaint was filed Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Maryland.

• Lawsuit: National Education Association v. U.S. Department of Education
  • Plaintiffs: National Education Association, National Education Association–New Hampshire
  • Defendants: U.S. Department of Education, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor

The Latest: The complaint was filed Wednesday, March 5, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

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Colleges, States Sue Over Rate Cut

Several colleges and universities along with associations representing higher education and medical colleges and 22 states sued the Trump administration in three separate lawsuits over the National Institutes of Health's plan to cut billions in reimbursements to colleges.

The lawsuits, filed in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, sought to overturn the proposed cuts, saying the change violated established federal grant regulations and administrative law. The states argued that if the change goes through, “institutions’ cutting-edge work to cure and treat human disease will grind to a halt.” Universities warned in court filings of operational chaos and job losses as colleges adjust to the immediate financial losses. (Read the complaints here, here and here.)

• Lawsuit: Association of American Medical Colleges v. National Institutes of Health
  • Plaintiffs: The Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the Association for Schools and Programs of Public Health, the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals Inc., and the Greater New York Hospital Association
  • Defendants: The National Institutes of Health, acting NIH director Dr. Matthew Memoli, the Department of Health and Human Services, and acting HHS secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink
• Lawsuit: Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. National Institutes of Health
  • Plaintiffs: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin
  • Defendants: Same as previous lawsuit
• Lawsuit: Association of American Universities v. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Plaintiffs: The American Association of Universities, the American Council on Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and a group of 13 universities. The universities are: Brandeis University, Brown University, the University of California, the California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Chicago, Cornell University, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Rochester and Tufts University.
  • Defendants: Same as previous lawsuit

The Latest: Judge Angel Kelley issued a nationwide injunction March 5, extending an earlier temporary restraining order that blocked the policy change from taking effect. She ruled that plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims that the policy violated federal law and regulations. She added in a 76-page opinion that the rate cut would likely cause irreparable harm and that NIH officials failed to provide any sufficient reasoning, rationale or justification for the change.

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Challenging Trump’s DEI Orders

College professors and university diversity officers teamed up with nonprofits and local governments to challenge Trump’s executive orders that target diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the public and private sectors. The lawsuit was filed Feb. 3 in the federal district court in Maryland and called for the anti-DEI orders to be declared unlawful and placed under injunction. The plaintiffs argue the orders violate the First and Fifth Amendments and threaten academic freedom and access to higher education for all. (Read the complaint here.)

• Lawsuit: National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education v. Trump
  • Plaintiffs: The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United and the mayor and city council of Baltimore
  • Defendants: President Donald Trump and several other federal agencies and acting secretaries, including the Education Department

The Latest: A federal appeals court overturned the Feb. 21 injunction that blocked the administration from enforcing parts of the executive orders. That decision comes after the plaintiffs accused the Trump administration on March 13 of not complying with the court order.

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Suing Over DOGE Data Access

Filed after news broke that officials from the Department of Government Efficiency had accessed sensitive student and borrower data, this lawsuit seeks to halt unlawful disclosure of personal and financial information. Department of Education records contain sensitive data for millions of students. Department officials have said that DOGE has access to all of said data, but it is unclear what that data is being used for. The case is being overseen by the federal district court in Washington, D.C. (Read the complaint here.)

• Lawsuit: University of California Student Association v. Carter
  • Plaintiffs: The University of California Student Association
  • Defendants: Acting education secretary Denise Carter, the Department of Education

The Latest: Late on Monday, Feb. 17, a federal judge denied the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order, saying an immediate threat didn’t exist. That judge had previously blocked the DOGE team from accessing student financial aid data until at least Feb. 17. A hearing was held on the motion Feb. 14. (In a separate lawsuit, a judge issued an order blocking DOGE from accessing student data at the Education Department.)

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Fighting Trump’s Transgender Ban

Challenging a recent executive order that bans transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sports at colleges and public schools, this lawsuit argues that the policy is discriminatory. The case originally challenged a New Hampshire law that bars trans girls in grades 5–12 from joining school sports teams that align with their gender.

But on Feb. 12, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint to include Trump and federal departments. The plaintiffs, two transgender teenage girls, are represented by GLAD Law and the ACLU of New Hampshire. The lawsuit argues that Trump’s orders unlawfully subject the girls’ respective schools as well as colleges and universities to the threat of losing federal funding if they allow trans girls and women to participate. (Read the complaint here.)

• Lawsuit: Tirrell v. Edelblut
  • The Plaintiffs: Parker Tirrell, represented by her parents, Sara and Zachary Tirrell, and Iris Turmelle, represented by Amy Manzelli and Chad Turmelle.
  • Defendants: New Hampshire education commissioner Frank Edelblut, the New Hampshire State Board of Education, Pemi-Baker Regional School District, Pembroke School District, President Donald Trump, the Department of Justice and the Department of Education.

The Latest: The amended complaint, filed Feb. 12, is the latest action.

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Blocking Cuts to Teacher Training Grants

Education colleges and associations representing teachers in training sued to challenge the February termination of more than 100 educator-preparation grants that touched on diversity, equity and inclusion. They say the Education Department “illegally” ended the grants, which totaled $600 million. The lawsuit, filed Monday, March 3, in the Maryland federal district court, calls for the court to declare the termination of grants unlawful, enjoin enforcement of the cuts and provide the grant recipients reimbursement for expenditures incurred since the freeze was announced.

The plaintiffs argue that the cuts are vague and therefore a violation of the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause and will cause immediate and irreparable harm. They also note that the preliminary injunction granted in NADOHE v. Trump—which prohibits the department from blocking “‘equity-related’ grants or contracts”—also applies in this case.

• Lawsuit: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education v. McMahon
  • Plaintiffs: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, National Center for Teacher Residencies, the Maryland Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
  • Defendants: Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter, the U.S. Department of Education, President Donald J. Trump

The Latest:  Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to reinstate the canceled grants. The first, from by a Massachusetts federal judge, directed the administration to restore the grants for eight states. The second, from a Maryland federal judge, states the education department must restore the grants for all members of three teacher training associations.

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Tribal Colleges Sue Over Firings

Three federally recognized tribal nations and several students are suing the Trump administration to challenge its decision to cut staff at the two higher ed institutions run by the Bureau of Indian Education, Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico. The layoffs hit about a quarter of the staff at the colleges, according to the lawsuit, and led to canceled classes and athletic events. At Haskell, they don’t have staff to properly run dining halls or clean facilities. Meanwhile, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic has struggled to respond to maintenance issues. 

The tribes and students say the cuts violate federal laws that require the Interior Department to consult with the tribes before making such decisions like reducing the staff.

• Lawsuit: Pueblo of Isleta v. Secretary of the Department of the Interior
  • Plaintiffs: Pueblo of Isleta, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Ella Bowen, Kaiya Brown, Danielle Ledesma, Victor Organista and Aiyanna Tanyan.
  • Defendants: Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Mercier and Bureau of Indian Education director Tony Dearman

The Latest: The complaint was filed March 7 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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