Federal Court Halts Layoffs Amid Government Shutdown

A federal judge in California has ordered the Trump administration to pause mass layoffs during the ongoing partial government shutdown, citing concerns that the job cuts appear politically motivated.

US District Judge Susan Illston, presiding in San Francisco, granted a request from two unions to block layoffs affecting more than 30 federal agencies while the legality of the terminations is reviewed.

“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,” Judge Illston said, criticizing the administration’s approach.

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Political Motivations Cited

The ruling followed public statements from President Donald Trump and White House Budget Director Russell Vought, who indicated that the cuts would target “Democrat agencies.” Judge Illston noted that these statements suggested explicit political intent behind the layoffs.

“It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost. It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated,” the judge added.

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Unions Challenge Layoffs

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) argued that implementing the layoffs was not an essential service, and the ongoing shutdown does not justify mass job cuts.

The administration has already issued layoff notices to about 4,100 workers across eight agencies, affecting programs in health, education, special education, and after-school initiatives. Meanwhile, the military and immigration enforcement continue to operate as normal.

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Government Shutdown Context

The partial shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, is in its 15th day. Democrats are demanding the continuation of healthcare subsidies and a reversal of Medicaid cuts included in Trump’s recent tax and spending legislation.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he “won’t negotiate” with Democrats until these demands are paused and the government reopens.

The judge agreed with the unions that the administration’s layoffs were being used to apply political pressure on Congress, rather than responding to the funding lapse.