Attorney General Kris Mayes, alongside a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general, has achieved a preliminary injunction in the case Maryland et al. v. USDA. Filed in the United States District Court for Maryland, the lawsuit was against numerous federal agencies over the mass firing of federal probationary employees, which the lawsuit claims was unlawful.
This injunction specifically protects probationary employees residing in or working within the plaintiff states. It mandates that 20 specified federal agencies reinstate these employees until the resolution of the court case. Moreover, it instructs these agencies to adhere to lawful procedures in any future workforce reductions.
"Firing probationary employees without following the rules was wrong, and it hurt Arizonans," stated Attorney General Mayes. "I will keep fighting to make sure the Trump administration follows the law and treats workers fairly."
The events leading to the injunction commenced on March 6, 2025, when Attorney General Mayes initiated legal action against multiple federal agencies. These actions were said to cause severe harm to Arizona and the other plaintiff states, prompting a request for immediate redress. Consequently, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against 18 federal agencies on March 14, 2025. This order was later extended by five days, with concerns about potentially severe impacts on Arizona and the other plaintiff states looming.
The preliminary injunction further extends the court's initial directive, halting the mass dismissals and ensuring these employees are reinstated while the case progresses. Significantly, it prohibits the implicated federal entities from persisting in their contested actions throughout the lawsuit.
The departments and agencies affected by the injunction include the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, General Services Administration, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business Administration, and the United States Agency for International Development.
Attorney General Mayes is supported in the lawsuit by the 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.
The full injunction document is publicly available.