Preliminary Injunction Issued in Largest and Most Significant Challenge to President’s Authority to Remake Government without Congressional Approval

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California San Francisco Division today issued a preliminary injunction that will block the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government while the case proceeds. The coalition behind the case, which includes nationwide labor unions, non-profit organizations, and cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington, released the following statement in response to the decision: 

“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 en masse and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that. We are gratified by the court’s decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds.”

The coalition includes the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and four AFGE locals; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and three SEIU Locals (521, 1000, 1021); Alliance for Retired Americans; American Geophysical Union; American Public Health Association; Center for Taxpayer Rights; Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks; Common Defense; Main Street Alliance; NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council); Northeast Organic Farming Association Inc.; VoteVets; Western Watersheds Project; City and County of San Francisco, California; County of Santa Clara, California; City of Chicago, Illinois; City of Baltimore, Maryland; Harris County, Texas; and King County, Washington. 

The coalition is represented by lead co-counsel Democracy Forward and Altshuler Berzon LLP, Protect Democracy, Public Rights Project, and Democracy Defenders Fund.

Statements from plaintiffs and counsel in the case are here. 

AFGE v. Trump argues that the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government, which is already underway without legislative authority, violates the Constitution’s fundamental separation of powers principles. 

Read the complaint here and the preliminary injunction here. 

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Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.