Democratic lawmakers were blocked Friday from entering the Department of Education at Washington, D.C. 

A group of Democrats tried to meet with the acting secretary of education. However, they were met at the door by a man who said he worked for the federal government and blocked them from entering the building.

As lawmakers peppered him with questions, he occasionally addressed some of them. Congressman Maxwell Frost asked the guard if he was acting on his own behalf or if he was told to block the door by the Department of Education.

“I’m doing my job,” the man responded. 

He later told the lawmakers they could ask as many questions as they wanted to, but “nothing’s going to change.”

Lawmakers said they were hoping to meet with the department’s leaders and repeatedly noted they were members of Congress. However, the man declined to step aside and told them there was “no business purpose” for them to enter the building. 

Some lawmakers sought to persuade him by saying that they were not thieves or criminals and, thus, should not be blocked. 

Eventually, Congresswoman Maxine Waters urged her fellow Democrats to step back to ensure that cameras could get a good shot of the man who blocked the doors. She also told him to hold his head up “so they can see you” and so that he can be “recorded in history,” and asked him to share his name with the public. 

Mr. Frost shared a video of lawmakers trying to communicate to people standing in the doorway as they said, “We want in.”

The Department of Education did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication. 

The standoff comes after it was reported that the Department of Government Efficiency has been examining ways to cut staff and costs at the education department. The Washington Post also reported that DOGE has accessed internal systems that contain information on students enrolled in federal student aid programs. 

Additionally, multiple reports have indicated that the Trump administration is preparing an executive order that would begin the process of eliminating the department.