HONOLULU - Attorney General Anne Lopez issued the following statement after a federal judge in the United States District Court for Maryland issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) for 18 federal agencies, ordering them to stop the illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees and to reinstate fired employees by 1:00pm (ET) on Monday, March 17, 2025.  

“President Trump blindsided the states when he fired thousands of federal probationary employees without giving them the 60-day notice required by law. He jeopardized these employees’ financial security and risked overwhelming the states’ ability to help those who were out of work. 

“This ruling not only requires the Trump administration to stop these indiscriminate and unlawful layoffs but also orders it to undo the harm inflicted across the country by restoring the jobs of hardworking federal employees.   

“These mass firings reflect a disregard for both the law and the essential role of the civil service in maintaining government stability. Our office is committed to upholding the rule of law and will take every necessary legal step to ensure compliance with this court order.”  

The TRO comes seven days after Attorney General Lopez joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in suing numerous federal agencies for causing irreparable injuries to the plaintiff states. The TRO stops the unlawful mass firings, orders the agencies to give those employees their jobs back, and applies to the following 18 federal agencies: 

The state of Hawai?i is represented in this matter by Solicitor General Kaliko?on?lani Fernandes and Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day. 

Information on the original lawsuit can be found here. 

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