Politics

Illinois Joins Lawsuit Seeking to Halt ‘Illegal’ Mass Firings of Federal Workers

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined on to a wide-ranging lawsuit that seeks to halt the mass layoffs of federal probationary employees under President Donald Trump’s administration and the reinstatement of those who have already been terminated.

Raoul on Friday joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general who are seeking a temporary restraining order against numerous federal agencies to stop what he’s called the “illegal mass layoffs.”

Raoul’s office said the lawsuit is necessary because the mass firings have caused irreparable harm to Illinois and the other plaintiff states.

“Many of these illegal firings have come without cause or warning, leaving tens of thousands of federal workers and their families struggling to pay rent, buy groceries and cover other vital household costs,” Raoul said in a statement.

According to Raoul’s office, nearly 446 terminated federal employees in Illinois have applied for state unemployment benefits in the two months since Trump’s inauguration — nearly matching the number of claims filed by former federal employees throughout the entirety of 2024.

The lawsuit was filed late Thursday in Maryland, where the state estimates about 10% of households receive wages from the federal government.

The federal agencies in their termination letters to probationary employees claimed they were fired for unsatisfactory performance or conduct, but Raoul’s office contends the firings were actually part of the Trump administration’s attempt to restructure and downsize the entire federal government.

“These unannounced mass layoffs have created growing chaos and confusion,” the lawsuit states. “Thousands of affected individuals have been fired and must now make pressing decisions about healthcare, unemployment benefits, and reemployment.”

Trump has said he’s targeting fraud, waste and abuse in a bloated federal government. The president and his adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have fired both new and career workers, telling agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force.” The purge has spawned a number of lawsuits as unions and attorneys general have challenged DOGE’s authority. Attempts to contact the White House and Justice Department for comment were unsuccessful.

Probationary workers have been targeted for layoffs across the federal government because they’re usually new to the job and lack full civil service protection.

“State governments have also not had a chance to prepare or budget for an increased demand for unemployment insurance and other social services, such as Medicaid,” Raoul said. “I am proud to join my fellow attorneys general in filing this lawsuit seeking justice for the many Illinoisans whose lives have been abruptly and groundlessly thrown into chaos.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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