The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco has issued a temporary restraining order to halt the Trump administration’s reorganization of the federal government. This decision comes as a response to a motion filed by a coalition comprising labor unions, non-profit organizations, and various cities and counties across California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington. The coalition is represented by Democracy Forward and Altshuler Berzon LLP, along with Protect Democracy, Public Rights Project, and Democracy Defenders Fund.
The case, AFGE v. Trump, challenges the administration’s actions as unconstitutional due to a lack of legislative authority. It argues that this reorganization violates the Constitution’s separation of powers principles.
Among those involved in the coalition are notable organizations such as the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Alliance for Retired Americans, and several others including local governments like San Francisco and Chicago.
A statement from the coalition expressed concern over the disruption caused by these reorganizational efforts: “The Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos… We are gratified by the court’s decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds.”
AFSCME President Lee Saunders also commented on the ruling: “Billionaires and anti-union extremists have launched a hostile takeover of government – unlawfully bypassing Congress… We are pleased that the court issued a decision today to pause these devastating attacks.”
This legal development marks a significant challenge to presidential authority regarding governmental restructuring without congressional approval.
