Judge Halts Trump Administration’s Federal Workforce Downsizing

SAN FRANCISCO, May 9 (Reuters) – A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop its major downsizing of the federal workforce. The decision came during a hearing on Friday regarding a lawsuit from labor unions and local governments that challenged mass layoffs proposed by the President.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston stated that President Trump did not have congressional authorization for large-scale staffing cuts, which would disrupt critical government services nationwide. The ruling is effective for 14 days, during which federal agencies will be unable to act on executive orders regarding staff reductions.

“As history demonstrates, the President may broadly restructure federal agencies only when authorized by Congress,” Illston said in her ruling.

The judge scheduled a hearing for May 22 to decide on a longer-lasting injunction against these layoffs. Plaintiffs argue that without this order, they will face irreparable harm due to drastic staffing reductions.

The coalition behind the lawsuit includes cities like San Francisco and Chicago, the American Federation of Government Employees, and various nonprofit organizations. They asserted that the planned job cuts have already adversely affected critical services, such as disaster assistance and health research.

In her remarks, Judge Illston highlighted distressing examples of the impact, including a federal office in Pittsburgh facing a nearly complete workforce reduction. The court did not mandate rehiring but sought to preserve the current state while legal proceedings unfold.

Attorneys for the government contended that the changes were guided by general principles and allowed for agency discretion. However, plaintiffs claimed this undermined lawful procedures and engaged in decision-making without proper discussion.

The restraining order impacts several federal departments including Agriculture, Labor, and Energy, where redundancies were already underway.

As the debate continues, the White House did not respond immediately to requests for comments on the ruling.