Attorney General Mayes has announced a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by a federal judge in the United States District Court for Maryland. The order mandates 18 federal agencies to halt the mass layoffs of federal probationary employees and reinstate those who were terminated by 1:00 pm on Monday, March 17, 2025.
"President Trump blindsided Arizona when he fired thousands of federal probationary employees without giving us the 60-day notice required by law," stated Attorney General Mayes. "He jeopardized these employees' financial security, threatened Arizona’s economy, and risked overwhelming our State’s ability to help those who were out of work."
The ruling demands that the Trump Administration cease these layoffs and restore the positions of affected federal employees. Mayes emphasized that "these mass firings reflect a disregard for both the law and the essential role of the civil service in maintaining government stability." She affirmed her office's commitment to enforcing the rule of law and ensuring compliance with this court order.
The TRO was granted seven days after Attorney General Mayes joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general on March 6, 2025, to sue various federal agencies over actions causing harm to Arizona and other states involved in the lawsuit. The legal action sought immediate relief from what they deemed unlawful terminations.
Attorney General Mayes collaborated with attorneys general from Maryland, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.