❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge issued an indefinite block on the Trump administration’s plan to fire federal employees during the shutdown.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston, the Trump administration, and labor unions.
📍WHEN & WHERE: October 28, 2025, San Francisco.
🎯IMPACT: The injunction halts job cuts in government sectors and prevents the firing of federal employees amidst the ongoing shutdown.
A San Francisco federal judge—appointed to the bench by former President Bill Clinton—has indefinitely barred the Trump administration from proceeding with the firing of federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston‘s preliminary injunction replaces a temporary restraining order she issued last week that was set to expire on Wednesday.
The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit challenging the legality of the administration’s firings. In justifying the injunction, Judge Illston stated her belief that it is likely that the plaintiffs will prevail in their legal challenge, demonstrating that the job cuts were illegal and exceeded the administration’s authority.
On October 10, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought announced that the layoff of federal workers had begun after Senate Democrats forced federal government funding to lapse nine days earlier. “The RIFs have begun,” Vought posted to X (formerly Twitter), referring to reductions-in-force. An OMB spokesman described the job cuts as “substantial.”
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), along with other labor unions, filed a lawsuit against the layoffs. They argue these measures are an abuse of power intended to pressure Congress and punish federal workers.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats defeated a 13th attempt to pass temporary government funding and end the impasse. As this shutdown becomes the second-longest in history, Democratic lawmakers are demanding that any agreement to reopen the government should address expiring health care subsidies—an issue Republicans want to take up separately—and reverse a number of provisions enacted under President Donald J. Trump‘s Once Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Republican lawmakers in the House—which passed a clean, temporary funding extension in September—insist Senate Democrats must reopen the government before any negotiations can take place.
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