U.S. judge blocks Trump administration from firing federal workers during government shutdown

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge on Wednesday temporarily barred the Trump administration from dismissing federal employees amid the ongoing government shutdown.

"The activities that are being undertaken here are contrary to the laws," Susan Yvonne Illston, judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, said on Wednesday when she issued the temporary restraining order.

The injunction came a few days after the administration sent reduction-in-force notices to over 4,000 federal workers. Two major unions representing government employees petitioned to halt the layoffs.

Illston stated that the administration had "taken advantage of the lapse in government spending and government functioning," expressing confidence that the unions could prove the government's actions were unlawful.

The Trump administration had warned that it intended to cut jobs during the shutdown, and U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly claimed that the reductions targeted "Democrat agencies" or programs.

Earlier, White House budget director Russell Vought said he expected that "north of 10,000" federal positions would be cut because of the shutdown.

Illston's order was issued on the 15th day of the shutdown, just before the Senate once again failed -- for the ninth time -- to pass a temporary funding bill that would reopen the government.

Democracy Forward, an advocacy organization representing the unions, welcomed the judge's order.

The organization's CEO Skye Perryman said the president seems to think his government shutdown is distracting people from the harmful and lawless actions of his administration, but the American people are holding him accountable, including in the courts.