US judge blocks Trump administration from ending Job Corps program for low-income youth

US judge blocks Trump administration from ending Job Corps program for low-income youth

A New York-based federal judge has extended a pause on the Trump administration’s efforts to wind down the Job Corps training program for low-income youth, as litigation over the move continues. Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr. of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the Labor Department’s decision to halt Job Corps operations violated the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The judge found that the agency failed to seek notice and comment or notify Congress, as required by law [2].

The Job Corps program, which provides education and job training to low-income youth, has been a target of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures. The administration has been deferring funds and rejecting contracts and repair requests from various federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. The NIH, for instance, has ended the fiscal year with unspent funds [1].

The Trump administration’s actions have been criticized by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which has opened more than three dozen inquiries into potential White House violations of federal budget law. House Republicans have recently proposed a bill that would cut the GAO's budget and prevent it from suing the federal government over canceled appropriations [1].

The Job Corps program has been a critical source of education and job training for low-income youth. The extension of the pause on its operations ensures that these young individuals continue to receive the training and support they need to improve their lives and contribute to the economy.

References:
[1] https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-administration-nih-gao/2025/06/25/id/1216400/
[2] https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/judge-extends-block-on-labor-department-termination-of-job-corps