A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order that enabled the administration to fire tens of thousands of federal workers and to eliminate certain agencies entirely.
The ruling puts on hold the White House’s plans to implement government-wide layoffs, including expected staff cuts at the departments of State, Treasury, Transportation, Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.
Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said in her order federal laws give the president broad power to reorganize the government, including to order mass layoffs. But she added the White House must also follow a set of rigorous legal and procedural requirements.
“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,” Illston, a Clinton appointee, said.
