Overview

• On June 2 the administration filed an emergency petition asking justices to lift U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s order halting mass federal job cuts and agency closures.
• Illston’s May 22 injunction, upheld by a 2-1 9th Circuit panel, found that the February executive order exceeded presidential power by bypassing congressional authorization for large-scale workforce reductions.
• Sauer contends that nationwide relief is necessary because the injunction inflicts ongoing harm on government operations and disrupts agency planning under Trump’s restructuring mandate.
• Labor unions, non-profits and local governments sued to block the reductions, warning that cuts to dozens of agencies could undermine food safety inspections, disaster response and public health services.
• Justice Elena Kagan has ordered the plaintiffs to respond by June 9, setting the stage for a high-stakes decision on the balance between executive authority and judicial oversight.