San Fran judge halts federal layoffs under Trump, says Congress must authorize

A Clinton-appointed judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from laying off huge swaths of the federal bureaucracy and eliminating certain offices.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston to implement a 14-day injunction comes months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the federal government to be drastically shrunken.

“In February, Trump directed agencies to work with DOGE to identify targets for mass layoffs as part of the administration’s plans to restructure the government,” according to Fox News.

“The president instructed agencies to eliminate duplicate roles, unnecessary management layers and non-critical jobs, as well as to automate routine tasks, close regional field offices and reduce the use of outside contractors,” the report continued.

02/19/25 From the White House
EXECUTIVE ORDER
COMMENCING THE REDUCTION OF THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. It is the policy of my…

— Sharyl Attkisson ️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) February 20, 2025

A group of plaintiffs consisting of unions, non-profits, and local governments subsequently sued, alleging that Trump’s “unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation.”

“Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government – laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that,” the groups claimed in a statement.

Judge Illston agreed, ruling that while the president may restructure federal agencies, he may only do so in so-called “lawful ways” with approval from Congress.

“The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch,” she said. “Many presidents have sought this cooperation before; many iterations of Congress have provided it.”

“Nothing prevents the President from requesting this cooperation—as he did in his prior term of office. Indeed, the Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime,” she added.

Except, of course, that it’s nearly impossible to push anything substantive through Congress because of Democrat obstruction and intransigence, not to mention rogue Republicans.

Susan Illston, we did not elect you for anything. We elected Trump to get rid of all the useless people stealing from us/ wasting our money, like you. They’re fired and you’re next. GFY#impeachIllston https://t.co/gDJpwB1OSG

— Aimee Sexton (@AimeeSexton21) May 10, 2025

In her ruling, Illston also cited several examples to illustrate how the Trump administration’s massive government layoffs have impacted people.

“One union that represents federal workers who research health hazards faced by mineworkers said it was poised to lose 221 of 222 workers in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, office; a Vermont farmer didn’t receive a timely inspection on his property to receive disaster aid after flooding and missed an important planting window; a reduction in Social Security Administration workers has led to longer wait times for recipients,” ABC News notes, listing the examples.

Another hearing is scheduled for May 22nd, at which point Illston may seek an even longer injunction.

“With every move this President is making, we are holding him accountable in court, and seeing judges of all stripes recognize and defend the rule of law,” Skye Perryman, president of the Democracy Forward Foundation, said in a statement.

The Democracy Forward Foundation is one of three entities — including Altshuler Berzon LLP and AFGE — that are representing the plaintiffs.

BREAKING: Judge blocks President Trump’s unconstitutional campaign to radically restructure and dismantle the federal government.

This ruling is one of many that prove Elon Musk, DOGE, and even the president himself are not above the rule of law and the will of the American… pic.twitter.com/Cylw2zIxnd

— Democracy Forward (@DemocracyFwd) May 10, 2025

The Trump administration, meanwhile, has filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

This ruling comes despite a fervent, committed effort by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to drastically downsize the government, make it more efficient, and save taxpayers millions of dollars.

Senior Staff Writer
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

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