Judge Says State Department Firings Violate Injunction (2)

A federal judge ordered the government to freeze staff cuts at the US Department of State, saying the Trump administration violated an earlier court order barring widespread layoffs.

Judge Susan Illston of the US District Court for the Northern District of California told the administration to withhold layoff notices scheduled to be sent on Saturday, rejecting the claim that the reductions were unrelated to President Donald Trump’s Feb. 11 order to implement Department of Government Efficiency cuts. That executive order was blocked by a preliminary injunction while the case moves forward.

Illston’s Friday order could apply to other agency layoffs ...