White House's large-scale firings paused by federal judge

A federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the White House from firing hundreds of thousands of government employees. This ruling pauses the firings for two weeks, preventing disruption to critical services like Social Security, occupational safety, and pre-school programs. Judge Susan Illston stated the president must lawfully change the executive branch with Congressional cooperation. The ruling affects 21 agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, and Labor. A coalition of unions, nonprofits, and states filed the lawsuit, claiming the reorganization is unconstitutional. The administration argued the lawsuit was filed too late and such issues are not for federal courts. Agencies are currently implementing reductions-in-force, causing anxiety among employees. The ruling cites examples like the termination of mine safety researchers and potential cuts to Social Security. The judge concluded the harm to plaintiffs outweighs the burden on the government during the pause. A hearing for another injunction is scheduled for May 22.