A federal judge on Wednesday offered a scathing rebuke of the Trump administration’s effort to oust federal workers during the government shutdown before temporarily freezing the White House’s plans.
The temporary restraining order issued by Senior Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California stops the Trump administration from taking action to issue any notice of reduction in force — or RIF — of federal workers during or because of the federal shutdown. The order also blocks any further action on RIF notices that have already been issued.
“It’s very much ready, fire, aim,” said Illston of the administration’s maneuvers to dismantle the federal government. She later added, “It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated.”
During a Wednesday hearing on union and advocacy groups’ request for a temporary restraining order, Illston appeared deeply frustrated with the Justice Department’s refusal to address the legality of the administration’s plans to use the shutdown to lay off workers at agencies like EPA and the Energy Department.
