Tracking Key Lawsuits Against the Trump Administration
Jessica Blake and Katherine Knott
February 18, 2025
Higher education groups are suing the federal government to block executive orders and policy changes. Here’s the latest on the legal challenges.
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.
