A federal judge has mandated the Trump administration to reinstate most of the federal employees recently laid off and issued a temporary restraining order against further terminations. This decision by Judge James Bredar in the U.S. District Court of Maryland responds to a lawsuit filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and 19 other attorneys general. They argued that the administration's reduction in force policy exceeded executive authority and violated the Administrative Procedures Act.
"Federal law provides a pathway for the President to execute a large-scale reduction in force, but this administration, once again, acted extrajudicially to carry out its wishes without regard for the law, impact on the federal government, or the states," stated Attorney General Nessel. "I am pleased that Judge Bredar acted swiftly to minimize the dangerous impact this could have had across the nation."
The restraining order prevents most federal agencies from continuing layoffs and mandates them to reinstate affected probationary employees. However, it does not apply to the National Archives and Records Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Defense. The order will be effective for 14 days while arguments for a preliminary injunction are considered. Additionally, restrained defendants must submit a status report detailing their compliance actions by March 17, 2025.