A federal judge in California has indefinitely extended a nationwide order blocking the Donald Trump administration from conducting mass layoffs of federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown.

The ruling marks the latest development in a widening legal dispute over whether the administration can use a lapse in appropriations to permanently downsize federal agencies.

American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley told Newsweek in an email on Wednesday that “President Trump is using the government shutdown as a pretense to illegally fire thousands of federal workers—specifically those employees carrying out programs and policies that the administration finds objectionable,” adding “We thank the court for keeping in place its order prev

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