Colorado joined 17 other states in filing an amicus brief, urging a federal court to protect the Job Corps, a national program that provides free education and vocational training to low-income teens and young adults.

Established in 1964, Job Corps provided training to more than two million 16 to 24-year-olds in various fields, such as construction, healthcare and hospitality. Enrollment in the program dropped significantly when it was forced to transition to remote operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it would pause Job Corps operations at the end of June, saying the program was “no longer achieving the intended outcomes.”

U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer cited a “startling number” of reports from program facilities, including sexual assault, acts of violence, and drug use by program participants. Job Corps is also projected to be in an operational deficit of over $200 million by the end of the year. 

“We remain committed to ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate the program’s possibilities,” Chavez-Deremer said in a news release.

The Trump administration has been pushing to shrink what it described as a federal government that is too bloated, with too much money being lost to waste and fraud. The government has some $36 trillion in debt and ran a $1.8 trillion deficit last year. 

Earlier this week, a New York judge blocked the Trump administration’s plan to shut down Job Corps after a lawsuit was filed by the National Job Corps Association and other organizations supporting the program. Chavez-Deremer is scheduled to appear in court on June 17, when a judge will determine whether to issue a preliminary injunction.

There are nearly 100 Job Corps residential campuses around the country, including one in the Mesa County town of Collbran. Because the Collbran site is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and not an outside contractor, it would not be affected by the pause.

“This reckless decision will rob hardworking young people of a chance to better themselves and their communities, and risks leaving thousands of vulnerable young people homeless,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. 

Last week, members of Congress, including four members of the Colorado Delegation, wrote a letter in support of the continuation of Job Corps, arguing it is a crucial part of accomplishing Trump’s goal of bringing more jobs to the U.S.

“As companies continue to onshore and invest in the men and women of our country, a steady stream of skilled laborers will be required to meet the growing workforce demand,” the letter stated. “The Job Corps program is uniquely positioned to fill that role and provide these hardworking young Americans with the vocational and technical job training that will set them and our country up for success.”

State Rep. Matt Soper, a Delta Republican whose district includes Collbran, told the Daily Sentinel that the Collbran site provides “tremendous benefit” not only to his district, but to the entire Western Slope.

“To me, any pause of the Job Corps would be frustrating, it would be scary, not good news, because even though something is listed as a pause, it’s really hard to then make the case to fully bring it back online afterward,” he told the Grand Junction-based publication.