The Daily Fuckup

A federal judge in Rhode Island temporarily blocked the Trump administration on July 1 from finalizing parts of its Health and Human Services layoffs and reorganization plan while a lawsuit over the move moves forward.

U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose granted a preliminary injunction sought by a coalition of states and the District of Columbia. The order bars HHS from carrying out further firings tied to the restructuring and from moving ahead with the workforce downsizing plan that was announced in March.

The case centers on one of the administration’s biggest personnel overhauls at HHS, where officials said earlier this year they would cut 10,000 workers and consolidate or close several divisions. The judge’s ruling does not end the dispute. It preserves the status quo while the court considers whether the department’s actions were lawful.

The injunction is a legal setback for the administration, but it is not a final ruling on the merits. HHS can still defend the restructuring as the case proceeds, and the court’s order leaves the underlying lawsuit unresolved for now. What the ruling does do is stop the government from turning the March layoff announcement into completed action while the judge weighs the claims against it.