A federal judge in San Francisco has issued an indefinite injunction preventing the Trump administration from terminating federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled on Tuesday that labor unions are likely to succeed in their lawsuit, which claims that the firings are arbitrary and politically motivated.
Judge Illston granted a preliminary injunction that halts any layoffs as the legal battle unfolds. This ruling follows her previous issuance of a temporary restraining order against job cuts, which was slated to expire on Wednesday. Illston, who was nominated by Democratic President Bill Clinton, expressed her belief that the evidence will ultimately demonstrate that the mass firings were illegal and exceeded the administration's authority.
The injunction prohibits federal agencies from issuing layoff notices or acting on any notices that were sent after the government shutdown began on October 1. However, it does not apply to notices distributed prior to the shutdown. This ruling comes in the wake of significant job cuts in sectors such as education and health, which the administration has targeted as areas that benefit Democrats.
In addition to the layoffs, the Trump administration has declined to use approximately $5 billion in contingency funds to sustain benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) into November. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other labor unions have filed a lawsuit to prevent these “reductions in force” layoffs, arguing that the firings represent an abuse of power intended to intimidate workers and coerce Congress.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley criticized the administration, stating, “President Trump is using the government shutdown as a pretense to illegally fire thousands of federal workers—specifically those employees carrying out programs and policies that the administration finds objectionable.” He expressed gratitude towards the court for its ruling.
In response, the White House has referred requests for comments to the Office of Management and Budget, which has not provided immediate feedback. Lawyers for the government argue that the district court lacks the authority to adjudicate personnel issues, asserting that President Trump possesses broad powers to reduce the federal workforce, a commitment he made during his campaign. “The president was elected on this specific platform,” stated Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Velchik. He highlighted Trump’s background as a reality TV star known for his catchphrase “you’re fired,” suggesting that this is what voters expected.
Since October 10, approximately 4,100 layoff notices have been issued to federal employees, some sent to work email addresses that furloughed employees cannot access. In some instances, workers were recalled to issue these layoff notices without pay. The lawsuit has since expanded to include employees from additional labor organizations, such as the National Treasury Employees Union, the American Federation of Teachers, and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. All Cabinet departments and numerous independent agencies are implicated in the lawsuit.
Democratic lawmakers are insisting that any agreement to reopen the federal government must address the expiration of health care subsidies that have made insurance more affordable for millions of Americans. They are also advocating for the reversal of Medicaid cuts associated with Trump’s recent tax and spending reforms. In contrast, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to engage in negotiations with Democrats until they agree to reopen the government. This situation marks the second-longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
