Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Planned Federal Employee Layoffs Amid Shutdown

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt layoffs of federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown. The ruling comes as part of a larger legal challenge against the administration’s plans to reduce the workforce.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a temporary restraining order on Wednesday, stating that the reduction-in-force notices sent to approximately 4,000 federal employees were illegal and exceeded the administration’s authority. Her order prevents most federal agencies from implementing these layoff notices.

“It is also far from normal for an administration to fire line-level civilian employees during a government shutdown as a way to punish the opposing political party. But this is precisely what President Trump has announced he is doing,” Illston stated in the court filing.

The judge’s order specifically covers federal programs and activities involving bargaining unit members represented by unions suing the administration. The unions argued that the layoffs were a tactic to influence political negotiations with Congress.

The administration contends that the layoffs are necessary due to a lack of funding, claiming that Congress effectively approved of cuts by failing to pass a spending bill. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought mentioned on the Charlie Kirk Show that he anticipates layoffs could exceed 10,000 individuals across federal agencies.

Vought emphasized that the government is trying to minimize the impact of the shutdown on its operations. “One of the problems of a government shutdown is it slows down the administration. But one of the things we want to do is, if there are policy opportunities to downsize the scope of the federal government, we want to use those opportunities,” he noted.

In contrast, American Federation of Government Employees and other union leaders labeled the layoffs a misuse of power, asserting that these actions exploit the shutdown for political gain.

While the judge’s ruling stops new layoffs, it does not immediately resolve the impasse caused by the ongoing shutdown. As the situation develops, government officials are expected to appeal the decision, leaving many federal workers uncertain about their futures.

Illston stressed that the lack of access to work email accounts for some employees meant that they had not received any layoff notices, exacerbating the confusion. “It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs. It has a human cost, which is really why we’re here today,” she added.