Albuquerque, NM – Today, Attorney General Raúl Torrez, alongside a coalition of 20 attorneys general, secured an important victory in their effort to prevent mass federal layoffs and reinstate illegally-terminated federal employees. A federal judge in the United States District Court for Maryland issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) for 18 federal agencies, ordering that they discontinue the illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees and reinstate terminated employees by Monday, March 17.
The ruling comes a week after the coalition filed the TRO motion on the grounds that the Trump administration orchestrated illegal mass layoffs by failing to provide the required 60-day notice, threatening financial security of New Mexicans and risking our State’s ability to assist those affected while negatively impacting our State’s economy.
“This ruling is a crucial victory for hardworking federal employees and their families — it sends a clear message that no administration is above the law,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “These illegal mass layoffs aren’t just about jobs — they represent devastating cuts to the services we all rely on, from healthcare and education to support for our veterans. We will continue to fight against unlawful actions that threaten the well-being of our communities and the vital programs that keep New Mexico strong.”
The Temporary Restraining Order ruling includes:
- The restrained federal agencies shall not conduct any future reductions in force except in compliance with notice requirements.
- All affected probationary employees must be reinstated before March 17, 2025 by 1 p.m. ET.
- The federal agencies must provide documented actions they have taken to comply with the order.
The TRO and Memorandum are included below.
Joining the coalition are the attorneys general of Maryland, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
