A federal judge in California, Judge Susan Illston, issued a temporary restraining order on Friday, halting the Trump administration’s plans to reduce and reorganize the workforce across 21 federal departments and agencies. The order challenges the administration’s initiative known as the “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative. Illston argued that while the president has the authority to initiate changes within executive branch agencies, such actions must comply with legal frameworks and often require cooperation from Congress, which has historically provided necessary support.
The ruling applies not only to the major agencies involved, such as the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), but also to others including the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation. Illston noted that there is no statute granting OPM, OMB, or the Department of Government Efficiency the authority to direct federal agencies to undertake large-scale terminations or restructuring.
The Trump administration’s assertion that the lawsuit was filed too late—three months after the Executive Order was issued—was countered by the judge, who emphasized that plaintiffs had reasonable grounds to delay action until they could assess potential harms from the executive measures. A coalition of nonprofits, unions, and local governments welcomed the court’s decision, arguing that the abrupt reductions jeopardized critical federal services and efficiency.
Further arguments in this case are scheduled for May 22, and the White House has not yet provided a comment in response to the ruling. The temporary order is currently in effect for two weeks, delaying any significant workforce changes during that period.
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