Federal Court Blocks HHS Layoffs, Citing Unlawful Reorganization
A federal judge has put a halt to the Trump administration’s plans for significant layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), deeming the actions likely illegal. This decision follows a lawsuit initiated by attorneys general from 19 states and the District of Columbia.
U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose granted a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, highlighting the potential “irreparable harm” from the layoffs and the likelihood that the plaintiffs would succeed in proving the actions were “arbitrary and capricious as well as contrary to law.”
“The executive branch does not have the authority to order, organize, or implement wholesale changes to the structure and function of the agencies created by Congress,” Judge DuBose stated in her 58-page order issued in Providence.
This court order prevents further layoffs announced in March and requires HHS to provide a status report by July 11. An HHS spokesperson indicated that they are reviewing the court’s decision and evaluating their options moving forward.
Andrew Nixon, representing HHS, defended the agency’s original decision, stating, “We stand by our original decision to realign this organization with its core mission and refocus a sprawling bureaucracy that, over time, had become wasteful, inefficient and resistant to change.”
The court’s ruling affects employees from several HHS divisions, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Center for Tobacco Products within the FDA, the Office of Head Start, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Earlier in March, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had cut over 10,000 jobs and reduced 28 agencies to 15. However, the CDC and other agencies have since reversed some of these layoffs, particularly those impacting disease monitoring teams.
The lawsuit contends that the restructuring exceeded the agency’s authority and dismantled crucial programs, imposing financial burdens on states. Judge DuBose noted that states have lost access to essential resources, including “funds, guidance, research, screenings, compliance oversight, data, and, importantly, the expertise and guidance on which they have long relied.”
These layoffs were part of the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative aimed at reducing government waste. During a Senate hearing, Kennedy acknowledged “chaos and disorganization” within HHS.
Despite the intent to streamline operations, Kennedy admitted that errors in the process might result in the reinstatement of approximately 20% of the terminated workforce, which included teams integral to food safety, drug regulation, and public health initiatives like HIV prevention and maternal health.
