Agencies under federal jurisdiction given green light for large-scale terminations, according to the ruling by the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has reversed a court order that barred federal agencies from laying off their employees en masse, paving the way for several federal departments to proceed with large-scale layoffs of approximately 25,000 employees.
The decision, which came after a district judge in California ruled in favor of unions, municipalities, and advocacy groups that sued over President Trump's workforce reduction plans, was met with strong opposition from Democratic lawmakers.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., expressed concern that the mass firings could weaken the government's ability to respond to disasters and provide essential benefits and services, stating that the damage from these actions will last for decades. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., affirmed that the fight against these cuts would continue "in Congress, in the courts, and in our communities."
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole dissenter on the application for a stay of the injunction. In her dissent, she suggested that the administration's actions will lead to "mass employee terminations, widespread cancellation of federal programs and services, and the dismantling of much of the federal government as Congress has created it."
The administration's argument maintains that Trump's actions to reshape the federal workforce are within his powers. Agencies such as the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and State, among others, are expected to send out RIF notices to thousands of employees. Agencies that had already sent out RIF notices, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, may now finalize the offboarding of thousands of staff.
The case is still in the preliminary stages, with a full decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and a potential hearing before the Supreme Court still to come. The process of arguing the case on its merits will take months to play out.
Democratic lawmakers have vowed to continue fighting against Trump's cuts through any available means. They argue that the Trump administration must receive congressional approval for its reorganization plans, including those seeking to lay off federal workers.
In a separate decision, the Supreme Court has also stayed an injunction that previously blocked the administration from firing probationary employees. The exact timing for these personnel moves is not yet clear.
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