During the government shutdown, a judge has temporarily prevented the Trump administration from terminating thousands of federal employees. Less than a week has passed since the administration announced that it has started to lay off around 4,000 employees across many agencies.Two unions asked US District Judge Susan Illston to stop layoffs at over 30 agencies, and she granted their plea.
Illston stated at the hearing that she shared the unions’ belief that the administration was illegally utilizing the budget lapse, which started on October 1st, to implement its intentions to reduce the size of the federal government.
She also pointed to a number of public remarks made by President Donald Trump and Russell Vought, the White House budget officer, which she claimed demonstrated clear political motivations for the layoffs. For example, Trump claimed that cuts would be directed at “Democrat agencies.”
Before moving to court, the unions must present their allegations before a federal labor board, according to a US Justice Department attorney. Illston noted at the hearing that she believed with the groups that the government had used the money shortfall.
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