Donald Trump’s administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to halt a judicial order blocking mass job cuts and the restructuring of agencies, part of the Republican president’s campaign to downsize and reshape the federal government.
The Justice Department’s request came after San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston blocked large-scale federal layoffs, known as “reductions in force,” in a May 22 ruling siding with a group of unions, non-profit groups and local governments that challenged the administration.
The case involves the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury and Veterans Affairs, among others.
Controlling the personnel of federal agencies “lies at the heartland” of the president’s executive branch authority, the Justice Department said in the filing.
“The Constitution does not erect a presumption against presidential control of agency staffing, and the president does not need special permission from Congress to exercise core Article II powers,” the filing said, referring to the constitution’s section delineating presidential authority.
The Supreme Court requested a response by the plaintiffs in the case to the administration’s filing by June 9.
