Plans to slash thousands of federal positions during the government shutdown were temporarily blocked Wednesday when U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston issued a restraining order halting the layoffs.
"The activities that are being undertaken here are contrary to the laws," Illston told White House lawyers during the October 15 hearing.
"You can't do this in a nation of laws."
The White House contends Democrats bear responsibility by refusing to reopen government operations.
Hours earlier, Budget Director Russell Vought had projected cuts exceeding 10,000 positions as the funding lapse entered its third week.
Vought is widely regarded as a key architect of Project 2025's federal workforce reduction strategy, which aims to cut more than 1 million government positions.
Over 4,200 notices delivered
More than 4,200 reduction-in-force notices have already reached employees across eight agencies, according to court filings.
Treasury and Health and Human Services comprised over half the total.
Vought outlined targets including Green New Deal initiatives at Energy, Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
He pledged to shutter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau within months, describing it as an agency bearing "the DNA of Elizabeth Warren."
"We're going to keep those RIFs rolling throughout this shutdown," Vought told The Charlie Kirk Show.
Unlike previous funding lapses that furloughed workers temporarily, this approach permanently eliminates positions.
Standoff continues
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed back against the justification.
"Nobody's forcing Trump and Vought to do this. They're callously choosing to hurt people — the workers who protect our country, inspect our food, respond when disasters strike."
The impasse began on 1 October over enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits Democrats demand in any stopgap measure.
Seven votes on competing resolutions have failed.
