President Donald Trump

A federal judge has paused the Trump administration's plans for mass layoffs and program closures for two weeks. The decision prevents two dozen agencies from proceeding with cuts deemed illegal without congressional approval. The pending “reductions in force” are part of the administration's downsizing strategy and may affect hundreds of thousands of employees.

In this photo gallery, we review the legal challenge.

Trump speaks at a town-hall

The lawsuit, filed by 21 states, addresses concerns about chaos from the administration’s overhaul. The plaintiffs argue that these reorganization efforts jeopardize critical services like disaster relief, Social Security benefits, and workplace safety inspections.

Trump is interviewed by Marsha Blackburn

The coalition stated, “The Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation. Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government — laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that.”

Trump at Dodge County Airport

The Department of Health and Human Services has laid off 10,000 employees and closed entire offices and programs. Employees at other agencies are anxious about upcoming announcements and lack clarity on who will be affected.

Trump at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall

In her ruling, Judge Susan Illston of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California stated that the government’s attempts to lay off workers and shut down programs threaten essential services. She emphasized that reorganizing federal agencies requires congressional consultation and cannot be solely decided by the president.

Trump in Tucson

Lawyers supporting the lawsuit submitted about 1,300 pages of sworn statements showing how federal cuts have harmed local services. During the hearing, a Justice Department attorney claimed that the coalition's diverse interests posed legal complications.

Trump at MotorCity Casino

The coalition's attorneys countered that the Trump administration's actions raise significant separation of powers concerns, as Congress established procedures for government restructuring. They maintained that the administration has not provided adequate justification for bypassing the processes and has frequently given contradictory reasons for the changes.

Grace Hall covers U.S. politics & news for content partner Modern Newsstand LLC.