Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Layoff Plans Amid Shutdown. A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from laying off thousands of government employees during the ongoing shutdown. The ruling came from US District Judge Susan Illston, who sided with two major unions arguing the layoffs were unlawful. The administration had already begun cutting about 4,000 positions across more than 30 agencies. Illston cited public statements from President Trump and budget chief Russell Vought, which she said revealed political motives — including Trump's remarks about targeting "Democrat agencies.” Departments like Treasury, HHS, Education, and Homeland Security were among those planning layoffs, with the Treasury alone set to cut more than 1,400 jobs. The Justice Department plans to appeal, but for now, those layoffs are on hold. Meanwhile, the shutdown has entered its third week, and the Senate has failed nine times to pass a resolution to reopen the government. Republicans blame Democrats for holding out, while Democrats demand protections to address rising health care costs for low-income Americans. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT