Shutdown Layoffs Blocked by Judge
A major development on the shutdown front — a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s effort to lay off thousands of federal workers. This was part of the broader executive strategy to turn the shutdown into a permanent restructuring of the federal workforce. But Judge Susan Ilston, a Clinton appointee, ruled in favor of the government unions and put a stop to it — at least for now.
The judge called the layoffs politically motivated and likely illegal. She criticized the Justice Department for not defending the legality of the move, citing Trump’s own comments blaming Democrats as evidence of the political nature of it all. Departments were planning over 4,000 layoffs — Treasury was expected to be hit hardest. The unions are treating this as a win, calling it protection from unlawful, retaliatory firings.
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