Boston, Massachusetts - A judge recently blocked President Donald Trump and his administration's efforts to lay off thousands of federal employees within the Department of Education.

In a preliminary injunction issued on Thursday, US District Judge Myong Joun ordered the department to reinstate employees laid off on March 11 as part of a wider agenda from the administration to terminate the department "without Congressional approval."

The ruling came in response to a complaint filed by school districts in Massachusetts and education advocacy groups, which argued the administration's efforts were illegal and that the layoffs left the department unable to carry out responsibilities required by Congress.

Judge Joun agreed, writing the efforts would result in "irreparable harm," including "financial uncertainty and delay, impeded access to vital knowledge on which students and educators rely, and loss of essential services for America's most vulnerable student populations."

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The judge ordered the administration to "restore the department to the status quo" and provide weekly status reports on how they are complying with the order until it is fulfilled.

The decision puts a dent in Trump's repeated campaign promise to close down the department and give control to individual states.

His efforts have been met with heavy criticism as he and his administration appear to be trying to evade congressional approval, which critics argue is unconstitutional.

In response to the ruling, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten praised the judge for "rightly" rejecting the administration's "illegal, and consequential" efforts, and described it as "the first step to reverse this war on knowledge and the undermining of broad-based opportunity."

"For America to build a brighter future, we must all take more responsibility, not less, for the success of our children," Weingarten added.