A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt its plan to lay off approximately 4,100 federal employees amid the ongoing government shutdown. The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, temporarily blocks the administration’s efforts while unions representing federal workers pursue their legal challenge against what they call an unlawful and politically motivated move.
The ruling comes as the White House faces growing scrutiny for using the shutdown as justification for workforce reductions across multiple agencies, including Health and Human Services, Commerce, Education, and Homeland Security. The layoffs had been set to expand to more than 10,000 workers, according to administration officials.
Temporary Restraining Order Issued
During a Wednesday hearing, Judge Illston granted an emergency temporary restraining order requested by several federal worker unions. The order bars the administration from carrying out any further layoffs or issuing new reduction in force (RIF) notices to members of the unions involved in the lawsuit.
“As of right now, the TRO is in effect,” Illston said, emphasizing that the order will remain active as long as the legal proceedings continue. The unions, which filed suit late last month, argue that the administration is exploiting the lapse in government funding to bypass labor laws and dismantle programs associated with political opponents.
Judge Cites Political Motivation
Illston, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, stated that there was credible evidence suggesting the layoffs were “politically motivated.” She pointed to public remarks by President Donald Trump and senior officials indicating that certain agencies and programs targeted for cuts were those typically supported by Democrats.
“The politics that infuses what’s going on is being trumpeted out loud in this case,” the judge said. “And there are laws which govern how we can do the things we do, including reductions in force. The activities being undertaken here are contrary to those laws.”
Layoff Plan and Administrative Errors
The Trump administration initiated its RIF process on October 1, the same day the shutdown began. In a memo issued weeks earlier, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had directed federal agencies to prepare for significant layoffs. OMB Director Russ Vought said the government aimed to be “very aggressive” in “shuttering the bureaucracy,” estimating that the total number of layoffs could exceed 10,000.
However, the rollout has been plagued by errors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mistakenly sent termination notices to about 1,760 employees—nearly double the intended number—due to what officials later called “data discrepancies and processing errors.” The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that only 982 employees were supposed to receive official notices.
Similar notifications were issued across several departments, including Commerce, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, and Treasury. Nearly 200 Department of Energy employees received general RIF notices indicating possible future layoffs, while over two dozen workers at the Environmental Protection Agency were sent “intent to RIF” letters pending further review.
Union Response and Next Steps
Unions representing the affected federal workers have praised the ruling as a necessary check on executive overreach. They argue that using a shutdown as justification for permanent staff reductions violates existing labor protections and undermines the neutrality of the civil service system.
The administration, meanwhile, has defended the layoffs as a legitimate cost-saving measure aligned with its efforts to downsize what it calls “bloated government agencies.” Vought reiterated the administration’s goal of using the shutdown as an “opportunity to restructure and streamline” federal operations.
The court’s temporary restraining order will remain in place as litigation proceeds, potentially setting the stage for a broader constitutional debate over presidential authority during government shutdowns.
Judge Illston’s ruling delivers an early victory for federal worker unions and deals a legal setback to the Trump administration’s effort to use the shutdown as a mechanism for mass layoffs. As the case unfolds, it may determine not only the fate of thousands of federal employees but also the legal boundaries of executive power in times of fiscal crisis.
