(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – United University Professions (UUP), the Nation’s largest Higher Education Union, is responding to the Trump Administration’s massive firing of Staff, which a lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen Democratic Attorneys General argues is an illegal overreach of the Administration’s authority because the move seeks to incapacitate the agency.

The suit, filed in Federal Court in Massachusetts by 21 Attorneys General from across the U.S., is asking a Judge to halt the Education Department’s effort to halve its Staff, a move they argue is “causing immense damage” to State Education Systems.

The filing comes just days after the Education Department announced it would shrink its Staff of more than 4,000 Employees to fewer than 2,200.

Administration Officials term the reduction-in-force as a “first step” toward ultimately abolishing the Department.

Kowal’s statement read as such:

The Trump Administration’s decision to fire more than 1,300 U.S. Education Department Workers is wrong, shortsighted and lies in direct opposition to its overused mantra to make America great again.

Sending more than 1,000 people to the unemployment line doesn’t make America great.

This move is nothing more than a needless gutting of the agency that oversees Federal college loans and Pell grants and protects students from predatory colleges.

Our Union strongly opposes this decision and President Trump’s stated intention to dissolve the Education Department, a responsibility that lies with Congress.

It is obvious the President has decided instead to weaken and dismantle the Department by reducing its workforce through buyouts and firings - which will wreak havoc with Federal Education Programs nationwide.

There has been no rationale given for these firings or any plan provided to explain how the Department will continue to effectively administer its programs and services.

Despite assurances from Secretary of Education Linda McMahon that the Staff firings will not impact student loans or distribution of Pell grants, UUP remains extremely skeptical.

Ten million students who rely on Federal student loans to get a college degree now have no idea if those loans will be an option in the fall.

We urge our New York Congressional Delegation to speak out and strongly oppose this politically motivated decision and stand up for our students, our Educators and our communities.

UUP represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees, many who work at 29 New York State-operated Campuses, including State University of New York’s (SUNY) Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.  UUP is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: States Sue Trump Over Education Department Firings