The Department of the Interior said some layoffs may still occur even as a federal court order temporarily bars the Trump administration from firing thousands of government workers during the shutdown.
The Hill reported that the Interior Department said in a Friday court filing that it would have begun issuing layoff notices "imminently" if not for U.S. District Judge Susan Illston's order halting the plan.
The order put a stop to more than 4,100 planned job cuts across eight agencies after unions argued that the moves were politically motivated and being carried out without adequate planning.
The affected positions include workers in land management, energy regulation, and environmental oversight, according to filings reviewed by The Hill.
Illston questioned the administration's rush to issue the notices while most government operations remain shut down and furloughed employees cannot access their work systems.
She said the firings showed a "ready, fire, aim" approach that carried "a human cost that cannot be tolerated."
The judge granted a temporary restraining order, finding the evidence likely showed the layoffs exceeded executive authority.
The American Federation of Government Employees and other unions said the effort was an abuse of power intended to punish workers and pressure Congress.
The Department of Justice countered that the court lacks jurisdiction to intervene in agency employment decisions.
The Interior Department acknowledged that the ruling prevents it from proceeding with firings, known as reductions in force, or RIFs, involving union employees but suggested it could still move forward with layoffs in nonunion "competitive areas."
The department said these actions are unrelated to the shutdown and are part of a broader restructuring plan developed earlier this year.
"It has become clear that RIF notices, if finalized on a timeline consistent with the preexisting planning process, might be issued during the lapse in appropriations for competitive areas that do not include any bargaining units or members represented by Plaintiffs," the department told the court.
The department also said it "had intended on imminently abolishing positions" in 68 competitive areas that include union workers but will hold off unless the injunction is lifted.
The White House Office of Management and Budget, which has been coordinating workforce reductions, defines a competitive area as a geographic or organizational unit in which employees can compete for positions.
It is unclear which Interior Department agencies or regions could be affected.
The Trump administration has pursued a series of downsizing efforts, saying cuts will make government leaner and more efficient.
Critics argue the firings remove essential public servants and undermine programs that serve Americans.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.