SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to immediately stop issuing layoff notices to federal workers during the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued the emergency order after agencies began the firings last Friday, aiming to downsize the federal workforce in a move Trump’s Republican administration is using to exert pressure on Congressional Democrats.
Illston stated that the administration's decisions were made without due consideration of their implications, noting, It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost. It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated.
The order follows requests from the American Federation of Government Employees and other labor unions, which argued that the firings are a misuse of power intended to punish federal employees while pressuring Congress during the budgetary impasse.
As the shutdown enters its third week, with no end in sight, Democratic lawmakers are insisting that any plan to resume government operations must address their health care priorities. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the shutdown may extend to become the longest in U.S. history, adamant that negotiations be paused until Democrats capitulate on their health care demands.
The Trump administration continues to pay the military and focus on immigration enforcement while making significant cuts to social services and educational programs, drawing criticism from labor representatives who assert these actions are politically motivated.
In its filings, the administration indicated plans to eliminate over 4,100 positions across multiple federal agencies, a move that unions argue does not hold legal merit given the ongoing Congressional authorization of these programs.
As this situation evolves, the implications for federal workers and public services remain profound, sparking conversations across the nation about the roles of government and the impact of prolonged governmental shutdowns.
Illston stated that the administration's decisions were made without due consideration of their implications, noting, It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost. It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated.
The order follows requests from the American Federation of Government Employees and other labor unions, which argued that the firings are a misuse of power intended to punish federal employees while pressuring Congress during the budgetary impasse.
As the shutdown enters its third week, with no end in sight, Democratic lawmakers are insisting that any plan to resume government operations must address their health care priorities. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the shutdown may extend to become the longest in U.S. history, adamant that negotiations be paused until Democrats capitulate on their health care demands.
The Trump administration continues to pay the military and focus on immigration enforcement while making significant cuts to social services and educational programs, drawing criticism from labor representatives who assert these actions are politically motivated.
In its filings, the administration indicated plans to eliminate over 4,100 positions across multiple federal agencies, a move that unions argue does not hold legal merit given the ongoing Congressional authorization of these programs.
As this situation evolves, the implications for federal workers and public services remain profound, sparking conversations across the nation about the roles of government and the impact of prolonged governmental shutdowns.
