A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs.U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from carrying out two plans announced in March that sought to work toward Trump’s goal to shut down the department.

Education is unable to carry out its statutory responsibilities and the Trump administration must receive congressional approval before dismantling the department, judge rules.

A federal judge ruled that mass layoffs at the U.S. Education Department are causing “irreparable harm” to students and educators.