The Education Department is trying to use the government shutdown to further push for its own elimination.

From an effort to layoff almost 500 more employees to messaging from Secretary Linda McMahon herself, the federal department, which President Trump has long sought to shutter, is seeking ways to make changes during the shutdown more permanent, alarming its defenders.

“It's nonsensical to think that the Trump administration ... has an interest in preserving the Department of Education and preserving civil rights enforcement at the federal level,” said David Hinojosa, co-director of litigation at the National Center for Youth Law.

Trump, who has told McMahon he wants her to put herself out of a job, had previously signed an executive order to shrink the agency and laid off half its workforce.

But the shutdown, which has lasted for more than three weeks with no end in sight, seems to be another window McMahon thinks she can use to further these efforts.

“The........

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