• Trump administration files for Supreme Court intervention to lift a federal judge's order blocking mass layoffs.
• U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled the president requires Congressional authorization for large-scale reductions.
• The Justice Department argues the injunction prevents necessary cost-cutting reforms across federal agencies.

The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a federal judge's order that blocks mass layoffs across various federal agencies, asserting that the ruling rests on an "indefensible premise" requiring Congressional authorization for such staffing decisions. This request marks the administration's 18th emergency appeal to the Supreme Court since taking office and aims to advance its restructuring plans for the federal workforce, including agencies such as Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, which are undergoing significant cuts due to perceived inefficiencies, according to CBS News and The Hill.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a temporary injunction initially on May 10, which she extended to prevent agency layoffs while a lawsuit by labor unions and local governments challenges the Trump administration's plans. The Justice Department argues that the judicial block halts a vital program aimed at reducing workforce size and is financially burdensome to taxpayers. Solicitor General John Sauer has called the judge's ruling a violation of core principles of executive authority, indicating the president's ability to manage staffing without Congressional permission, according to India Times and Reuters.

The appeal to the Supreme Court follows the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denying the administration's request to lift Illston's ruling, suggesting that the plaintiffs have a strong likelihood of succeeding in their legal challenge. They contend that a significant restructuring of government agencies without Congressional oversight undermines the separation of powers fundamental to U.S. governance. The continued enforcement of the injunction, according to the Justice Department, leads to delays and maintains what they describe as a "bloated and inefficient workforce," wasting taxpayer resources. This viewpoint has been echoed by various reports indicating concerns over the administration's speed and scale in implementing the layoffs, according to Newsweek and Reuters.

In her ruling, Illston noted that while presidents have the prerogative to initiate significant agency reforms, they must first partner with Congress to do so effectively. The request from the Trump administration to the Supreme Court also emphasizes the need for swift resolution to what they consider urgent operational changes across numerous federal agencies, which are being hampered by the ongoing legal dispute, according to CBS News and India Times.