Overview

• U.S. District Judge Susan Illston replaced a temporary restraining order with a preliminary injunction, indefinitely blocking workforce reductions and reorganizations at 22 federal agencies.
• The Trump administration immediately appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit, arguing the ruling constitutes judicial overreach and undermines executive authority.
• Illston's ruling emphasized that large-scale federal reorganizations require Congressional partnership, reaffirming separation-of-powers principles.
• The injunction prohibits agencies from approving or implementing reduction-in-force (RIF) plans but allows internal planning without execution or Office of Management and Budget involvement.
• The administration's restructuring plans, aimed at streamlining operations by eliminating redundant roles, could impact approximately 260,000 federal workers by September if allowed to proceed.