Judge Blocks Trump's Bid to Shut Down Job Corps Program: Legal Battle Ensues

A U.S. judge in Manhattan on Wednesday extended a temporary order preventing President Donald Trump's administration from shutting down Job Corps, a crucial residential job training program for low-income youth. U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter deemed the abrupt closure by the U.S. Department of Labor, lacking Congressional authorization, potentially illegal. This decision came amidst a lawsuit filed by the National Job Corps Association and various stakeholders.

The National Job Corps Association, a trade group representing Job Corps site operators, took legal action to block the Labor Department's announcement to terminate the program, underscoring its potential detrimental effects on approximately 25,000 individuals and the $1.7 billion budget involved. The program, established by Congress in 1964, caters to 16-24-year-olds seeking education and vocational training.

This legal challenge is part of a wider campaign by the Trump administration to significantly downsize federal operations, with the end of Job Corps cited by the Labor Department as a move towards cost reduction. The department, however, faces accusations of overstepping its authority, as critics argue that the consequences of closing the centers would extend far beyond mere budgetary concerns, affecting both participants and their communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)