Press Release: Federal Court Blocks Closure of 99 Job Corps Centers
In a significant ruling last week, a federal district court halted the Trump administration’s planned closure of 99 Job Corps centers nationwide. This decision follows a lawsuit filed by Job Corps students, the Public Citizen Litigation Group, and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which argued that the administration exceeded its authority in announcing the closures.
The Department of Labor had announced in May the intention to pause Job Corps operations as part of a broader effort to assess workforce investment effectiveness. However, the recent court ruling will keep these centers operational—at least temporarily. Job Corps, established by Congress in 1964, serves as America’s largest residential career training program, offering tens of thousands of disadvantaged youth aged 16 to 24 access to education and vocational training annually. Since its inception, it has educated over two million individuals.
According to the Department of Labor, the program provides not just educational opportunities, but also transitional support like employment services and housing assistance. Graduates of Job Corps often move into the workforce, pursue higher education, or enlist in the military.
Scott McCoy, deputy legal director at SPLC, celebrated the court’s decision, emphasizing that the closures would harm vulnerable communities, particularly Black and Brown youth. He stated, “Now is the time to double down: Job Corps is a direct investment in our nation’s future.”
Adam Pulver, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, criticized the Department of Labor’s abrupt decision to close the centers, calling it illegal and callous. The court found that the closures violated the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, ensuring that all 99 Job Corps centers remain operational for the foreseeable future.
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