Federal judge temporarily blocks staff cuts ordered by Trump administration during government shutdown
Judge Susan Illston responded to a lawsuit by unions seeking to halt administrative adjustments while Congress remains paralyzed.
Congressional facade.
A federal judge in California temporarily halted the Trump administration's plan to adjust government staffing during the government shutdown. The decision halts the implementation of more than 4,100 layoff notices that were sent last week to different agencies as part of the administrative process activated due to the lack of funding approved by Congress.
The measure was issued by Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, nominated to the post by former Democratic President Bill Clinton. Illston granted a temporary restraining order in response to a petition filed by federal unions seeking to halt the job cuts. The judge expressed that there are indications that the layoffs could be illegal and exceed the Executive's authority under the current circumstances of the shutdown.
Shutdown continues due to Democratic pressure to increase federal subsidies
The federal government shutdown has entered its third week, having begun on October 1. The stalemate is a response to the Democratic blockade in Congress, where lawmakers are conditioning any agreement to reopen the government on the approval of new extensions of health care subsidies and the reversal of Medicaid cuts included in recent fiscal measures.
House speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, warned that he will not negotiate as long as Democrats maintain what he described as partisan demands. Johnson further anticipated that the shutdown could become the longest in the nation's history if the opposition's unwillingness to pass basic funding without conditions continues.
The administration's priorities
The administration has maintained that it is legally entitled to reorganize personnel during a period of temporary resource shortage, while negotiations with Congress continue. Federal unions argue otherwise and contend that the layoff notices constitute an attempt at political pressure.
Open legal battle as case could escalate
During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hedges argued that labor decisions made within executive agencies are not subject to judicial review. Nevertheless, Judge Illston decided to move forward with the proceeding. Her ruling does not resolve the merits of the dispute, but prevents further layoffs for the time being while the litigation continues.
The docket remains open and runs parallel to a related case that previously reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that the Trump administration can continue to implement staffing adjustments while the main lawsuit is being resolved.
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