A U.S. federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from terminating the Job Corps program, a federally funded job training initiative for low-income youth. U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan ruled that the Department of Labor lacked authority to dismantle the 60-year-old program without congressional approval. His decision extends an emergency injunction issued earlier this month in a lawsuit filed by the National Job Corps Association (NJCA) and several contractors operating Job Corps centers.
Established in 1964, Job Corps provides education and vocational training to disadvantaged individuals aged 16 to 24. The program operates 120 centers nationwide and serves around 25,000 participants with an annual budget of $1.7 billion. It enables youth to earn high school diplomas or GEDs, receive vocational certifications, and gain on-the-job training.
The Department of Labor announced plans in May to terminate the program, citing high costs, low graduation rates, and numerous security incidents at Job Corps centers, including drug use and violence. However, the lawsuit argues that only Congress has the authority to end such programs, and the law mandates public input and congressional notifications before any center closures.
Judge Carter agreed, stating that once Congress funds and mandates a program, the executive branch must enforce it as legislated. The NJCA warned that eliminating Job Corps would severely impact students, contractors, and local economies.
The White House, Department of Labor, and NJCA have not commented on the ruling. The preliminary injunction remains in place as the lawsuit proceeds, preserving the program’s operations for now.
This decision marks a significant legal setback in President Trump’s broader effort to downsize the federal government by eliminating certain agencies and initiatives.