Attorney General Nessel Wins Preliminary Injunction Against Trump Administration for Mass Firings of Federal Probationary Employees

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general to secure a preliminary injunction (PI) in Maryland et al. v. USDA (PDF), a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for Maryland suing numerous federal agencies for the unlawful mass firing of federal probationary employees.    

The PI protects federal probationary employees who live or work in the plaintiff states and orders 20 federal agencies to reinstate unlawfully terminated probationary employees while the court case continues. The PI also requires those agencies to follow lawful procedures in conducting any future reductions in force.   

“Illegally firing probationary employees without following lawful procedures is not only reckless but a blatant abuse of power,” Nessel said. “Securing this preliminary injunction against 20 federal agencies makes it clear that the White House cannot simply fire federal workers on a whim without proper legal review. I will continue to stand alongside my colleagues to ensure our dedicated public servants are treated with respect and essential federal initiatives for Michigan residents are protected.” 

On March 6, 2025, Attorney General Nessel joined the coalition in suing numerous federal agencies for causing irreparable injuries to Michigan and the other plaintiff states. The lawsuit sought immediate relief, and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on March 13, 2025, for 18 federal agencies. The Court later extended that order by five days such that it was set to expire on April 1, which would have resulted in devastating impacts on Michigan and the plaintiff states, as well as their probationary employees.   

Following the Court’s issuance of a TRO, the PI requires the federal agencies to stop the unlawful mass firings and undo the terminations of probationary employees living or working within plaintiff states while the attorneys general litigate the case against the agencies.  

The PI ensures that, for the remainder of the case, the following federal agencies cannot continue their unlawful conduct:   

Attorney General Nessel was joined by the attorneys general of Maryland, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.