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A person holds a sign supporting U.S. government workers during the 'Unite for Veterans, Unite for America Rally' on the National Mall in Washington, DC on June 6, 2025.
(Photo by Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Federal Workers Score Major Win as Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump From Firing Them
"It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost," said US District Judge Susan Illston.
Oct 15, 2025
A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from firing employees of the US government.
As The Associated Press reported, US District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco granted a temporary restraining order blocking the massive cuts to the federal workforce the Trump administration has carried out during the current shutdown of the federal government.
Illston argued that a restraining order was justified because the Trump administration's cuts appeared to be politically motivated, and she said evidence would likely show they were carried out illegally.
"It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost," she said. “It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated."
Illston added that the Trump administration acted as if “the laws don’t apply to them anymore" when they began firing workers.
According to Bloomberg News courthouse reporter Zoe Tillman, the US Department of Justice could file an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals asking for the restraining order to be lifted, although she noted that "circuits have been wary of intervening" when it comes to temporary orders.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other federal labor unions last week filed lawsuits aimed at blocking the Trump administration's mass firings, which kicked off last Friday when Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought posted on X that reductions in the federal workforce had begun.
In the wake of Illston's ruling, AFGE posted a response mocking Vought that simply read, "The temporary restraining order has been granted."
Everett Kelley, national president of AFGE, said the judge's ruling had exposed the Trump administration's attempted mass terminations of federal workers as "cruel" and "unlawful."
"These are dedicated public servants who keep our nation running—protecting public health, supporting education, ensuring fair housing, and driving economic growth," Kelley said. "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.”
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american federation of government employeesfederal workersrussell voughttrump administrationgovernment shutdown
A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from firing employees of the US government.
As The Associated Press reported, US District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco granted a temporary restraining order blocking the massive cuts to the federal workforce the Trump administration has carried out during the current shutdown of the federal government.
Illston argued that a restraining order was justified because the Trump administration's cuts appeared to be politically motivated, and she said evidence would likely show they were carried out illegally.
"It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost," she said. “It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated."
Illston added that the Trump administration acted as if “the laws don’t apply to them anymore" when they began firing workers.
According to Bloomberg News courthouse reporter Zoe Tillman, the US Department of Justice could file an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals asking for the restraining order to be lifted, although she noted that "circuits have been wary of intervening" when it comes to temporary orders.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other federal labor unions last week filed lawsuits aimed at blocking the Trump administration's mass firings, which kicked off last Friday when Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought posted on X that reductions in the federal workforce had begun.
In the wake of Illston's ruling, AFGE posted a response mocking Vought that simply read, "The temporary restraining order has been granted."
Everett Kelley, national president of AFGE, said the judge's ruling had exposed the Trump administration's attempted mass terminations of federal workers as "cruel" and "unlawful."
"These are dedicated public servants who keep our nation running—protecting public health, supporting education, ensuring fair housing, and driving economic growth," Kelley said. "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.”
A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from firing employees of the US government.
As The Associated Press reported, US District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco granted a temporary restraining order blocking the massive cuts to the federal workforce the Trump administration has carried out during the current shutdown of the federal government.
Illston argued that a restraining order was justified because the Trump administration's cuts appeared to be politically motivated, and she said evidence would likely show they were carried out illegally.
"It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost," she said. “It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated."
Illston added that the Trump administration acted as if “the laws don’t apply to them anymore" when they began firing workers.
According to Bloomberg News courthouse reporter Zoe Tillman, the US Department of Justice could file an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals asking for the restraining order to be lifted, although she noted that "circuits have been wary of intervening" when it comes to temporary orders.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other federal labor unions last week filed lawsuits aimed at blocking the Trump administration's mass firings, which kicked off last Friday when Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought posted on X that reductions in the federal workforce had begun.
In the wake of Illston's ruling, AFGE posted a response mocking Vought that simply read, "The temporary restraining order has been granted."
Everett Kelley, national president of AFGE, said the judge's ruling had exposed the Trump administration's attempted mass terminations of federal workers as "cruel" and "unlawful."
"These are dedicated public servants who keep our nation running—protecting public health, supporting education, ensuring fair housing, and driving economic growth," Kelley said. "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.”
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