Friday morning, February 7, House and Senate Democrats were not allowed entrance into the Department of Education (DOE). According to Axios, the members of Congress were present to meet with acting secretary Denise L. Carter, who is currently serving in this role pending the Senate confirmation of Linda McMahon.
They also showed up to protest President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s proposed plan to dismantle the DOE as he leads the Department of Government Efficiency.
The Democratic lawmakers sought to meet with the department within 24 hours. After not hearing back from the agency by Thursday night, February 6, they showed up at the building Friday morning and were denied access. Among those who were denied entry into the building was Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Ca). She was seen in a video identifying one of the men standing outside the building denying entry.
“His name is Jim Hairfield!” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
According to sources close to the situation, the man who wouldn’t allow the lawmakers to enter the building was with the Office of Security, Facilities and Logistics Services at the Department of Education.
Congressman Maxwell Frost, who captured the footage, expressed his outrage about being denied access to the meeting.
“I’m here with multiple members of Congress. We’re here to go to the Department of Education to fight for education, and they have locked the doors,” Frost said in a video he posted on X. “They’re not letting us in; it says, ‘All Access Entrance,’ there’s a random guy out here who’s refusing to let us in—”
“We are members of Congress!”
Lawmakers attempting to enter the U.S. Department of Education but ED has locked its doors. pic.twitter.com/0QXwfN1c9L
— Arthur Jones II (@arthurjonesii) February 7, 2025
“And right here, they have armed officers, as well, acting like we’re dangerous,” he continued. “A year ago, I’d be able to walk into this building and not be locked out.… Elon is allowed in, but not you, not your elected representatives, not parents, not students. Elon can go in, his goons can go in, but not the representatives of the people.”
“Billionaires can go in this building but not representatives,” Rep. Mark Takano (D-Ca.) said in a video. “There’s a lack of transparency here.”
The Democratic lawmakers wanted a meeting within 24 hours and decided to show up to the building Friday morning when they had not heard back from the agency by Thursday night.
Trump has said he would use an executive order to end the Department of Education, but to completely end the department requires congressional action. Reportedly, he will use executive actions to shutter parts of the agency or “move its primary functions elsewhere.”
This is the fourth building that Democratic lawmakers were not allowed to enter. They were denied entry into USAID headquarters, the Treasury Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development,
