A federal judge in San Francisco temporarily enjoined the Trump administration from finalizing a sweeping round of agency layoffs, finding plaintiffs had a strong likelihood of proving the firings were unlawful and politically motivated. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s order halts the administration’s estimated 4,000 job cuts while litigation proceeds and prevents agencies from issuing further reduction‑in‑force notices. The injunction came after labor unions and advocacy groups challenged elimination notices that began in early October; the Education Department had already sent out hundreds of layoff notices that would have gutted offices including Postsecondary Education and Special Education. Union leaders and affected employees said the ruling preserves critical program capacity and prevents near‑term damage to services that support millions of students and families. Court papers and hearings highlighted rapid, poorly documented personnel moves and agency confusion over execution of the reductions. The ruling is an early checkpoint in a broader legal fight over the administration’s authority to carry out mass RIFs during the ongoing government shutdown.