A demonstrator in Washington, D.C. holds a sign reading “Federal Employees Don’t Work for Kings,” advocating for federal workers and opposing the recent decisions made by President Trump and Elon Musk on Presidents Day.
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Jacquelyn Martin/AP/AP

A federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that the Trump administration likely violated the law by terminating thousands of probationary employees, who are typically in the early stages of their employment.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup, after listening to arguments on Thursday, has temporarily halted these terminations. His injunction affects several key departments including the Veterans Affairs Department, the National Parks Service, the Small Business Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Science Foundation, among others, significantly impacting civic organizations that challenged the administration’s actions.

This temporary restraining order stems from a lawsuit brought forth by a coalition that included various labor unions. The coalition’s legal representatives argue that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) illegally instructed agencies to proceed with employee terminations.

“Statements from multiple federal agency officials confirm that the terminations were not initiated at their discretion, but were rather carried out under direct orders from OPM,” the coalition’s attorneys stated in their court submission.

Government maintains that it merely requested, not mandated, agency layoffs

During the court proceedings, the attorney representing the government contended that OPM’s communications were requests, not commands, suggesting a different interpretation of the situation.

However, Judge Alsup was not swayed by this argument.

“How could such a significant portion of the workforce be abruptly terminated overnight? This situation is unprecedented and severe in the country’s history,” Judge Alsup remarked from the bench. “The evidence suggests there was direction or a command regarding these actions.”

Nonetheless, Judge Alsup acknowledged the execution of the government’s argument that some labor unions among the plaintiffs did not have the legal standing to pursue the case in federal court. As a result, the relief he granted does not apply to all federal agencies.

However, he emphasized that extensive relief might be justified.

“I expect the government to take the necessary steps beyond what I have ordered and ensure that the relevant agencies are informed of my ruling,” he stated.

If you have insights or information regarding ongoing changes within the federal government, please reach out to NPR’s Andrea Hsu via encrypted communications on Signal at andreahsu.08.