Judge orders Trump Administration to reinstate thousands of fired government workers
On March 13, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of probationary workers who were fired across six federal agencies. The agencies involved are the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Treasury. The mass firings, which took place beginning around February 13, 2025, affected thousands of employees, though specific numbers for each agency have not been disclosed.
The judge, William Alsup, ruled that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and its acting director, Charles Ezell, lacked the authority to direct these terminations and called the administration’s justification based on performance “a lie.”
“These mass-firings of federal workers were not just an attack on government agencies and their ability to function, they were also a direct assault on public lands, wildlife, and the rule of law,” said Erik Molvar, executive director of Western Watersheds Project, one of the plaintiffs.
Alsup expressed frustration with what he called the government’s attempt to sidestep laws and regulations governing a reduction in its workforce — which it is allowed to do — by firing probationary workers who lack protections and cannot appeal. ~ NBC News
Trump officials have already filed an appeal regarding Alsup’s injunction.
Alsup’s ruling sparked significant reactions from both sides. The White House, through press secretary Karoline Leavitt, condemned the judge’s decision, arguing that it unconstitutionally encroaches on the President’s executive powers. Leavitt stated that the administration would fight back against what they see as an absurd and unconstitutional order.
Conversely, plaintiffs’ attorney Danielle Leonard argued that the mass firings were part of a deliberate plan to target probationary employees who lack the ability to appeal. Alsup expressed outrage over the administration’s actions, emphasizing that reductions in force must be conducted legally
This ruling represents a setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce and highlights ongoing legal battles over executive authority and employment rights within the federal government.
Earlier today, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown shared the news that a temporary block on mass firings of federal probationary employees is now in effect and that he and others helped fired employees get their jobs back.
Brown issued the following statement after the federal judge in the United States District Court for Maryland issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) for 18 federal agencies, ordering them to stop the illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees and to reinstate fired workers by 1:00pm on Monday, March 17, 2025. Brown said:
President Trump blindsided Maryland when he fired thousands of federal probationary employees without giving us the 60-day notice required by law. He jeopardized these employees’ financial security, threatened Maryland’s economy, and risked overwhelming our State’s ability to help those who were out of work.
This ruling not only requires the Trump Administration to stop these indiscriminate and unlawful layoffs but also orders it to undo the harm inflicted on Maryland by restoring the jobs of hardworking federal employees.
These mass firings reflect a disregard for both the law and the essential role of the civil service in maintaining government stability. Our Office is committed to upholding the rule of law and will take every necessary legal step to ensure compliance with this court order.
The TRO order comes seven days after Attorney General Brown led a coalition of 20 attorneys general on March 6, 2025, in suing numerous federal agencies for causing irreparable injuries to Maryland and the other plaintiff states. The lawsuit sought immediate relief. The TRO stops the unlawful mass firings, orders the 18 federal agencies to give those employees their jobs back.
Brown was joined by the attorneys general of Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Attorney General Brown Sues Trump Administration to Stop Dismantling of Department of Education and to Protect Students
Also yesterday, Brown joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED). On March 11, the Trump administration announced that ED would be firing approximately 50 percent of its workforce as part of its goal of a “total shutdown” of the Department. Attorney General Brown and the coalition today filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the targeted destruction of this critical federal agency that ensures tens of millions of students receive a quality education and critical resources.
For more on Judge Alsup ordering thousands of fired probationary federal employees to be reinstated, see the video below.
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Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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