A federal judge has temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s administration from firing federal workers during the federal government shutdown.
On Wednesday, Susan Illston, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, sided with two unions to prevent the firings, the Washington Examiner reported.
Trump’s administration had started laying off federal employees on Oct. 10. The federal government shut down on Oct. 1 because the U.S. Senate and House couldn't agree on funding priorities.
The RIFs have begun.
— Russ Vought (@russvought) October 10, 2025
The temporary restraining order filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California follows the lawsuit filed by the AFGE and AFSCME unions last week.
The lawsuits claim that the Office of Management and Budget Director Chris Vought has violated the law by directing that federal agencies conduct mass firings of federal workers during the shutdown.
The temporary restraining order has been granted. https://t.co/PRAgQ0zQZg
— AFGE (@AFGENational) October 15, 2025
The lawsuit also names as defendants the Office of Personnel Management and its Director Scott Kupor.
Last week, court documents suggested that the federal government sent reduction-in-force notices to about 4,000 people.
Reporter: How many layoffs have you authorized?
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 11, 2025
Trump: It'll be a lot. And it'll be Democrat-oriented. pic.twitter.com/fJkIVRQTZh
JUST IN: OMB Director Russell Vought reveals the Trump administration is planning to FIRE more than 10,000 federal workers during the government shutdown. “We’re going to keep those RIFs [Reduction in Force] throughout this shutdown.”
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) October 15, 2025
“We’re talking thousands of people [being… pic.twitter.com/rxH5AQbUlm
However, Vought estimated that the federal government will lay off about 10,000 people, he said on the Charlie Kirk show.
“We’re going to keep those RIFs [Reduction in Force] throughout this shutdown.” “We’re talking thousands of people [being laid off].” “I think we’ll probably be north of 10,000 [layoffs].”
The Trump administration could cut government agencies that aren't funded during the shutdown, Vought said.
.@RussVought47 explains how the Democrat Shutdown allows the Trump Admin to cut government bloat:
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 15, 2025
"Congress is saying, 'We're not going to fund these programs by not passing the Republican CR' — so if there's no funding for these programs, then what would you have us do? Is it… pic.twitter.com/FUvKWqWp0G
The AFGE and AFSCME unions are represented by Altshuler Berzon LLP, Democracy Forward, and the Democracy Defenders Fund.
The American Federation of Government Employees is the largest federal employee union, representing 820,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.