Federal judge blocks Trump administration plan to cut FEMA workforce by half

A federal judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration's plan to cut FEMA's staff by half was unlawful. The plan would have removed more than 11,000 workers by the end of September. Judge Susan Illston said the plan was "arbitrary and capricious" and appeared to have no clear basis. She also found that it broke congressional rules designed to protect FEMA's independence. Homeland Security officials had pushed FEMA leaders to accept the cuts, even though agency supervisors objected. Labor unions brought the lawsuit that led to Friday's ruling. The administration had not fully carried out the 50 percent reduction, but FEMA's workforce had already fallen sharply. The ruling blocks the government from moving forward with the staffing plan.