A federal judge dealt another blow to the Trump administration’s plans to downsize the government workforce Thursday, issuing an order pausing layoffs and reorganizations across much of the executive branch.
Judge Susan Illston of the District Court for the Northern District of California issued a sweeping injunction doubling down on the temporary restraining order she had previously put in place to halt the administration’s mass layoffs.
Illston’s latest move hands a victory to the employee unions, environmentalists and others who sued the administration, contending that it was illegally slashing the government without the necessary support from Congress. The court’s injunction also intensifies the high-stakes legal brawl that tests President Donald Trump’s executive authority.
The Trump administration has already asked the Supreme Court to intervene following Illston’s initial temporary restraining order. That court hasn’t yet weighed in on the request.
