A U.S. federal judge in San Francisco has halted plans by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reduce the size of the State Department, declaring the action as prohibited under injunction orders she issued last month. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston has blocked the Republican administration’s attempts to reorganize and cut down on various departments while she examines a legal case presented by labor unions and other groups. Judge Illston pointed out that President Donald Trump neglected to engage Congress when he authorized cuts across the government.
In late May, the State Department informed Congress of a revised reorganization plan, which aimed for even deeper reductions in programs and personnel than previously disclosed. Furthermore, Rubio recently instructed U.S. embassies to terminate all remaining staff linked with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), asserting the State Department’s intention to assume control over USAID’s foreign assistance programs by Monday.
The Trump administration contends that Rubio initiated the State Department’s reorganization independently of the President’s mandate, hence considers his actions exempt from the injunction. However, Judge Illston, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, remains unconvinced. She emphasized that if the State Department has uncertainties regarding whether intended actions fall under the Court’s injunction, the Department must present these issues to the Court before proceeding.