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By Andrew Stanton and Amanda Castro
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A federal judge in California has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from proceeding with mass layoffs of federal workers during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Susan Illston represents the latest blow to Trump’s efforts at reshaping the federal civil service. The White House announced last week that “significant” firings would begin amid the ongoing government shutdown, as lawmakers continue to spar over a bill that would temporarily fund the government. Prior to the shutdown, the Office of Management and Budget ordered federal agencies to begin preparing Reduction in Force (RIF) notices for certain employees.
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Government Shutdown Layoffs: Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin
Illston rebuked these layoffs in an order on Wednesday after two major unions—the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees—argued the layoffs were illegal. The ruling will halt job cuts at more than 30 federal agencies while litigation continues.
During a hearing in San Francisco, Illston pointed to remarks from Trump and OMB Director Russ Vought that she believed showed political motivation for the layoffs, Reuters reported.
"You can't do that in a nation of laws. And we have laws here, and the things that are being articulated here are not within the law," she said.
The case, along with other legal challenges to Trump’s agenda, continues to play out in the legal system.
One of those remarks she pointed to was Trump saying he was planning to cut “Democrat Agencies,” according to Reuters.
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How Many Federal Government Employees Have Been Laid Off?
A report from The Wall Street Journal over the weekend found that about 4,000 workers would be cut across several agencies under the shutdown layoff plan. It found that the biggest cuts would hit the Treasury Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Vought said during an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show on Wednesday that 10,000 employees could be affected.
What People Are Saying
American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley, in a statement: "The administration’s move to fire thousands of federal employees who are already going without pay during the government shutdown is not only cruel but unlawful. These are dedicated public servants who keep our nation running – protecting public health, supporting education, ensuring fair housing, and driving economic growth. We are pleased with the court’s ruling halting these unlawful terminations and preventing the administration from further targeting hardworking civil servants during the shutdown.”
OMB Director Russ Vought said on The Charlie Kirk Show prior to the ruling: “We’re definitely talking thousands of people. Much of the reporting has been on kind of court snapshots, which they’ve articulated is in the 4,000 number of people, but that’s just a snapshot, and I think it’s going to get much higher. We’re going to keep those RIFs rolling throughout this shutdown, because we think it’s important to stay on offense for the American taxpayer and the American people.”
What Happens Next
The case, along with other legal challenges to Trump’s agenda, continues to play out in the legal system. The shutdown began on October 1 and shows no clear signs of ending as lawmakers continue to negotiate a deal to fund the government.
Update 10/15/25, 4:27 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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