Trump administration fights court order barring federal layoffs

• The Trump administration appealed that order to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday.

What they're saying: "Presidents may set policy priorities for the executive branch, and agency heads may implement them," U.S. District Judge Susan Illston wrote in her Thursday order. "This much is undisputed."

• "But Congress creates federal agencies, funds them, and gives them duties that — by statute — they must carry out. Agencies may not conduct large-scale reorganizations and reductions in force in blatant disregard of Congress' mandates."
• "And a president may not initiate large-scale executive branch reorganizations without partnering with Congress."

Zoom in: Several labor unions, nonprofit organizations and cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas and Washington.

• Employees had been placed on administrative leave by the order.

Zoom out: In March, a federal judge ordered six government agencies to offer fired probationary workers their jobs back.

• Those agencies included the Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, Department of Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.

Go deeper: Trump's Education Department closure and layoffs blocked by federal judge