A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from carrying out mass firings of U.S. government employees during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a temporary restraining order to halt what she described as politically motivated cuts to the federal workforce. According to reports, the judge found that the administration’s actions may have been unlawful and could result in significant human costs.
Judge Illston stated that the approach taken by the administration was akin to “ready, fire, aim,” emphasizing that such measures had serious consequences for public services and individuals. She further noted that the administration appeared to act as though the law no longer applied to them.
The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to consider an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, though legal experts suggest that appellate courts are typically hesitant to intervene in temporary orders.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other labor unions filed lawsuits last week to challenge the administration’s mass firings. The process began on Friday when Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced that reductions in the federal workforce had started.
In response to the court’s decision, AFGE issued a statement mocking Vought’s announcement, simply stating, “The temporary restraining order has been granted.”
Everett Kelley, national president of AFGE, called the judge’s ruling a significant step in exposing what he described as the administration’s “cruel” and “unlawful” efforts to terminate federal workers. He emphasized that these employees play a vital role in maintaining public health, education, housing, and economic stability.
Kelley expressed satisfaction with the court’s action, which halts the ongoing terminations and prevents further targeting of civil servants during the shutdown.
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