Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

President Donald Trump’s administration for now must stop firing workers during 

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco said the cuts appeared to be politically motivated and were being carried out without much thought.

“It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost,” she said. "It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated.”

She granted a temporary restraining order blocking the job cuts, saying she believed the evidence would ultimately show the cuts were illegal and in excess of authority.

Emails sent to the White House and the Office of Management and Budget after the judge's ruling Wednesday were not immediately returned.

The judge's decision came after federal agencies on Friday 

 aimed at reducing the size of the federal government. The layoff notices are part of an effort by Trump’s Republican administration to 

 on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.

The American Federation of Government Employees and other federal labor unions had asked Illston to block the administration from issuing new layoff notices and implementing those that were already sent out. The unions said the firings were an abuse of power designed to punish workers and pressure Congress.

Illston’s order came as the shutdown, which started Oct. 1, entered its third week. Democratic lawmakers are demanding that any deal to reopen the federal government address their 

. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson predicted the shutdown may become the longest in history, saying he “won’t negotiate” with Democrats until they hit pause on those demands and reopen.

Democrats have demanded that health care subsidies, first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later, be extended again. They also want any government funding bill to reverse the Medicaid cuts in Trump's big 

 and pursuing its crackdown on immigration while 

 in health and education, including in 

special education and after-school programs

 are being targeted and “they’re never going to come back, in many cases.”

In a court filing, the administration said it planned to fire more than 4,100 employees across eight agencies.

The unions say the layoff notices are an illegal attempt at political pressure and retribution and are based on the false premise that a temporary funding lapse eliminates Congress’ authorization of agency programs.

The government says the district court lacks jurisdiction to hear employment decisions made by federal agencies.

Politics and Government News

Homepage

The Associated Press

Author

President Donald Trump’s administration for now must stop firing workers during the government shutdown, a federal judge ordered on Wednesday.

Colin Barrett with the American Federation of Government Employees union talks about the government shutdown on All Things Considered.

How federal workers in Minnesota are being affected by the government shutdown

People walk in a cross walk near the U.S. Capitol.

Judge temporarily blocks the Trump administration from firing workers during the government shutdown

Go Deeper.

Like this?