A federal judge in San Francisco just stopped Donald Trump’s administration from moving forward with a plan to fire thousands of federal employees while the government is still shut down. Judge Susan Illston extended an earlier temporary order, turning it into a more permanent pause while the court decides if the layoffs are even legal.
The Trump administration had already sent out more than 4,000 layoff notices to workers. Many employees could not even read them because their government email access was suspended during the shutdown. Reports showed that more than 10,000 jobs were at risk before the judge stepped in.
Judge Illston said the firings appeared to go beyond Trump’s authority and might violate federal law. She also pointed out that sending termination notices while normal systems like HR and email are down is both unfair and chaotic.
Labor groups and unions have been fighting the move, saying it punishes workers who are already struggling during a government shutdown. They argue that the administration should not be allowed to use a shutdown as a reason to get rid of employees who cannot even defend themselves right now.
For now, the court’s injunction keeps those jobs safe while the case continues. Trump’s legal team may appeal, but until then, thousands of federal workers can breathe a little easier.
