Supreme Court Blocks Rehiring of Federal Workers

The U.S. Supreme Court, by a 7-2 decision, blocked a federal judge's order mandating the Trump administration to reinstate 16,000 probationary federal employees fired as part of a broader government downsizing initiative. The court found that the coalition of nonprofits lacked the legal standing to sue, although the decision does not preclude other potential lawsuits from unions or affected employees. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing against the administration's appeal. The firings, justified by the administration as performance-based, were criticized by Judge Alsup as a 'sham,' highlighting discrepancies in the reasons for the terminations. The ruling is a temporary victory for the administration's efforts to streamline federal operations, though separate legal challenges continue in other courts. The unions involved remain committed to challenging the firings, viewing the Supreme Court ruling as a temporary setback.