Inside the Trump Administration’s Bold Move to Fire Federal Workers: What You Need to Know | NPR

Federal employee unions have raised alarms over the Trump administration’s intentions to initiate widespread layoffs within the Interior Department, despite a judicial injunction temporarily halting such actions during the ongoing government shutdown.

This revelation emerges amid a legal confrontation involving the administration and two prominent federal unions-the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-who have filed suit to prevent what they describe as “politically motivated reductions in force” (RIFs).

In a court declaration submitted late Thursday, attorney Danielle Leonard, representing the unions, stated that “several reliable sources” have confirmed that the Interior Department is actively preparing to dismiss thousands of workers starting Monday.

Leonard expressed immediate concerns about potential violations of the court’s order. When union representatives inquired with government attorneys on Thursday afternoon, a Justice Department lawyer replied that, “in accordance with the Court’s directive, we will provide the necessary information tomorrow.”

Following this, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston expedited the deadline for the government to submit a detailed report on all layoffs, both planned and executed, that are currently restrained by the temporary injunction.

Judge Illston has now mandated that by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, the government must disclose the exact number of employees impacted and provide a comprehensive overview of the programs and services slated for reduction.

Earlier in the week, the Trump administration informed the court that eight federal agencies had initiated the RIF process, affecting slightly over 4,000 employees. This figure was a minor adjustment from the previous week’s report, which also revealed that approximately 800 Health and Human Services staff members had mistakenly received layoff notifications.

Donald Trump listens to speakers after delivering remarks at a White House event on October 16.
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Stephen Billy, a senior advisor at the Office of Management and Budget, highlighted in a declaration that “the circumstances remain dynamic and are changing rapidly.”

Following a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Illston issued a temporary restraining order that halted the distribution of layoff notices scheduled for October 10 and barred any new dismissals until a permanent injunction hearing set for October 28. During the hearing, Illston criticized the administration’s handling of the layoffs as reckless, likening it to “shooting first and aiming later,” and accused the administration of exploiting the funding lapse to disregard legal obligations and impose unwanted changes on government operations.

In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Judge Illston as “another partisan, far-left jurist.”

Addressing the press on Thursday, Leavitt expressed confidence that the administration’s actions comply with the law and described the layoffs as “an unfortunate byproduct” of the ongoing government shutdown.