Clinton-Appointed Judge Temporarily Stops Trump From Laying Off Workers During Shutdown

A Clinton-appointed judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to lay off thousands of federal employees amid the ongoing government shutdown, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued the emergency order on Wednesday after agencies began sending layoff notices on Friday, according to multiple outlets. Federal labor unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees, had asked for the temporary restraining order to block the administration from carrying out mass layoffs during the shutdown.

“It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost,” Ilston said, according to the Associated Press.” It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated.”

The Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to draft reduction-in-force plans for individuals employed in programs that have no current funding source nor align with the president’s agenda.

Since the shutdown began, the administration has issued reduction-in-force notices to more than 4,000 employees, including all employees of the