A federal judge on Friday turned a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) into a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump Administration’s effort to overhaul and reorganize 20 agencies in the Executive Branch.
In February, President Trump implemented an executive order to completely overhaul the Executive Branch through the work of DOGE.
US District Judge Susan Illston, a Clinton appointee, said in order for President Trump to make such large-scale overhauls, he needs approval from Congress.
Judge Illston blocked any reduction-in-force (RIF) notices to workers in 20 federal agencies.
The judge’s preliminary injunction comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the anti-American AFL-CIO and American Federation of Government Employees.
Judge Illston enjoined DOGE, the State Department, Treasury and other agencies.
CBS News reported:
A federal judge on Thursday continued to block the Trump administration from moving forward with its plans to lay off thousands of government workers at more than 20 federal agencies, providing federal employees a lifeline as a legal challenge to President Trump’s bid to restructure the federal government moves forward.
The preliminary injunction granted by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston covers 21 federal agencies and the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency and prevents them from implementing reductions-in-force, placing employees on administrative leave and proceeding with job cuts that are already in motion.
The judge, who sits on the federal court in San Francisco, also barred agencies from implementing any orders by the Elon Musk-led DOGE to cut programs or staff in connection with an executive order signed by President Trump in February that seeks to transform the executive branch. The agencies affected include the Departments of Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, as well as AmeriCorps and the Social Security Administration, among others.
