WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Boston has blocked the Trump administration from attempting to dismantle the Department of Education.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued a preliminary injunction Thursday preventing the Trump administration from dismissing half of the Department of Education’s employees.

This directive from Judge Joun, appointed by President Biden, also restricts the Department of Education from moving federal student loan management to the Small Business Administration.

A group that includes several state attorneys general, schools, and nonprofits challenged Trump’s efforts to reduce the size of the Department of Education last month, arguing the president cannot unilaterally shut down a federal department created by Congress.

Lawyers for the Trump administration argued that the efforts to reduce the Department of Education would make it more efficient, and were separate from Trump’s vow to abolish the department.

Judge Joun was unconvinced.

“The record abundantly reveals that Defendants’ true intention is to effectively dismantle the Department without an authorizing statute,” he wrote.