A federal judge further halts Trump’s radical transformation of government

Demonstrators raise signs during a rally outside the National Institutes of Health on May 10, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images North America hide caption toggle caption Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images North America A federal judge in San Francisco has indefinitely paused President Trump’s sweeping overhaul of the federal government. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued the preliminary injunction late Thursday, nearly two weeks after temporarily halting Trump’s Feb. 11 executive order directing agencies to shut down offices and lay off thousands of people. A coalition of labor unions, nonprofits and local governments had sued to block that executive order and the subsequent memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management instructing agencies on how to carry out Trump’s order. The plaintiffs argued that Trump lacks the authority to carry out such a radical transformation of government without approval from Congress. Sponsor Message Education Judge blocks Trump administration from closing the Education Department Illston agreed, writing that “agencies may not conduct large-scale reorganizations and reductions in force in blatant disregard of Congress’s mandates, and a President may not initiate large-scale executive branch reorganization without partnering with Congress.” She noted that over the last century, nine presidents have sought and obtained authority from Congress to reorganize the executive branch. She pointed out that others, including Trump in his first term, sought approval but were not granted it. The lawsuit named Trump, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, the heads of 21 federal agencies and those agencies themselves as defendants. Illston’s order stops those agencies from issuing new reorganization plans and new layoff notices. It also prevents agencies from formally separating those who have already received such notices and are currently on administrative leave. She wrote that in some cases, the evidence showed that agencies were making changes that “intentionally or negligently” flout the duties given to them by Congress, which funds them. “After dramatic staff reductions, these agencies will not be able to do what Congress has directed them to do,” she added. Illston stopped short of requiring agencies to bring people already laid off or placed on administrative leave back to work while the litigation continues. Media Voice of America’s prospects appear grim after appeals court order The Trump administration is expected to appeal her decision. The government had already appealed Illston’s earlier, temporary order to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that Trump’s executive order and the OMB and OPM memo serve only to “facilitate” reductions in force (RIFs), or mass layoffs, within agency workforces. “Agencies have express statutory authority to conduct RIFs, and the President may tell agencies to use their own statutory authorities to accomplish policy goals,” government attorneys wrote. Judge Illston’s preliminary injunction applies to the following agencies: Sponsor Message Office of Management and BudgetOffice of Personnel ManagementDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of CommerceDepartment of EnergyDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDepartment of Housing and Urban DevelopmentDepartment of the InteriorDepartment of LaborDepartment of StateTreasury DepartmentDepartment of TransportationDepartment of Veterans AffairsAmeriCorpsEnvironmental Protection AgencyGeneral Services AdministrationNational Labor Relations BoardNational Science FoundationPeace CorpsSmall Business AdministrationSocial Security AdministrationDepartment of Government Efficiency (not a formally established government agency)