A federal judge in San Francisco on Wednesday (Oct 15) temporarily blocked the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the ongoing government shutdown, dealing a setback to White House efforts to reduce the size of the government amid the impasse.
US District Judge Susan Illston issued the emergency order after several federal agencies began issuing layoff notices last week as part of a broader government downsizing plan.
The Trump administration argued the cuts were necessary to manage spending during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1 and is now in its third week.
“It’s very much a ready, fire, aim for most of these programs and there is a human cost,” Judge Illston told the court. “It is a human cost that cannot be tolerated.
The American Federation of Government Employees and other unions asked for an emergency restraining order, accusing the administration of using the layoffs as a political weapon to pressure Democrats into concessions.
Unions call firing ‘abuse of power’
Union officials said the layoffs were an “abuse of power” to punish federal employees and manipulate ongoing budget negotiations. The administration planned to lay off more than 4,100 workers in eight agencies, including the health and education departments.
The Trump administration defended its actions, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction over employment decisions made during the shutdown and that the firings were consistent with its authority to direct federal operations.
The shutdown enters its third week
The shutdown, which began after lawmakers failed to agree on a spending plan, has strengthened partisan divisions in Washington. Democrats are demanding that any deal to reopen the government include funding for health care programs, while Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said he “will not negotiate” until Democrats release those demands.
President Trump said earlier this week that the shutdown allows his administration to eliminate “Democratic programs” he opposes, adding that “in many cases, they will never come back.”
Social security delays add to the disruption
The impact of the shutdown is also spreading to federal services, including delays in announcing Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for millions of retirees. The release, originally scheduled for Wednesday, will now take place on October 24, following the release of the September consumer price index.
