A federal judge in California, Susan Illston, has temporarily halted plans for reorganization and reductions in force at 21 federal departments and agencies, presenting a significant challenge to the Trump administration’s downsizing efforts. In her ruling, Illston emphasized that while the President has the authority to make changes to executive branch agencies, such actions must comply with legal standards and typically require cooperation from Congress, particularly for large-scale reorganizations.
The temporary restraining order, effective for two weeks, suspends the “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative, which was designed to implement large-scale changes, including layoffs and restructuring across affected agencies, such as the Departments of Housing, Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation.
Illston determined that neither the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) nor the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) possessed the statutory authority to direct such significant layoffs and organizational changes, violating the powers granted by Congress. Thousands of federal employees have already been affected since the Trump administration’s inception; however, precise numbers have not been disclosed.
The Trump administration argued that the lawsuit, filed on April 28, was untimely, as the Executive Order was issued months earlier. Judge Illston countered that the plaintiffs had reasonably waited to ascertain the potential harm from the Executive Order and related directives.
A coalition of non-profits, unions, and local governments voiced concern over the disruptions caused by the administration’s actions, calling the attempts to reorganize the government chaotic and counterproductive to the effective provision of federal services. Illston is set to hold further arguments in the case on May 22, while the White House has not yet commented on the ruling.
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