Can DOJ handle the Education Department's civil rights workload?

The question of whether the Department of Justice can absorb the Education Department’s civil rights workload is driving scrutiny after plans to shift core responsibilities. The Trump administration is moving key functions from the Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) toward DOJ, raising concerns about what protections for students will look like. Staffing is central to the debate: hundreds of OCR civil rights roles were eliminated during a reduction-in-force last year, and DOJ’s Civil Rights Division reportedly cut more than 60% of its workforce in 2025. Stacey Young, a former senior DOJ attorney, said the Educational Opportunities Section had about 36 lawyers when the second Trump administration took office, but that half have left, leaving it “deeply understaffed.” DOJ counters that it hired 25 new career attorneys in the education section and cites ongoing commitment to protecting civil rights. The Education Department will still issue policy guidance and provide technical assistance, while DOJ will evaluate, investigate, resolve, mediate, and determine enforcement paths based on DOJ findings.