A federal judge in California blocked the plans temporarily for strength and reorganization reductions in 21 departments and agencies throughout the federal government, a significant setback as the Trump administration works to reduce size.
“The President has the authority to seek changes in the agencies of the Executive Branch, but must do so legally and, in the case of large -scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch,” Judge Susan Illon wrote in his order after hearing the arguments on the early issue in the day.
“Many presidents have sought this cooperation before; many Iterations of the Congress have provided it. Nothing prevents the president from requesting this cooperation, as he did in his previous mandate. In fact, the Court keeps the President who probably requests the cooperation of the Congress to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary order of restriction of large -scale reduction order in force in force in the cursed,” he wrote.
The temporary restriction order, in force for two weeks, puts the Optimization initiative of the workforce of the “Government Efficiency Department” of the President waiting for 21 departments and agencies. The order also includes notes issued in the same effect by the Office of Personnel Management and Doge.
Illston, appointed by President Bill Clinton, said he believes that there is no statute that provides the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget, or gave the authority to lead other federal agencies to participate in large -scale terminations, restructuring or elimination of itself. “This action is far from the limits of any authority that the Congress acquired in OMB or OMB, and, as noted, Dege has no legal authority,” he wrote.
While thousands of federal employees working in departments and agencies throughout the country have been registered since Trump assumed the position in January, the Trump administration has not made available an exact number of affected employees.
The blocked departments and agencies to institute strength reductions or reorganizations include Doge, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Interior and Transportation.
The Trump administration argued that the demand, presented on April 28, lacked punctuality because the executive order was issued almost three months ago. In similar cases throughout the country, the Administration has argued that the demands filed immediately after executive orders were issued are premature. “The defendants cannot have it both ways,” Judge Illston wrote. “The Court considers that the plaintiffs reasonably expected to collect what information they could about the damage they may suffer from the executive order, the OMB/OPM memorandum and the RIF (RIF plans and reorganization of the agency).”
“The illegal attempt of the Trump administration to reorganize the federal government has thrown the agencies into chaos, interrupting the critical services provided throughout our nation,” said the coalition of non -profit organizations, local unions and governments in a statement on Friday.
“Each of us represents the deeply inverted communities in the efficiency of the federal government: to designate federal employees and reorganize random government functions.
Illston is expected to listen to more arguments in this case on May 22.
The White House did not immediately respond to the request for comments.
