Judge rules Trump administration's FEMA staffing plan unlawful

A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration acted unlawfully last year in pursuing a plan to roughly halve the Federal Emergency Management Agency's workforce. The judge also found that the disaster agency was improperly stripped of authority over key personnel decisions.

In a 32-page order, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston wrote that the Department of Homeland Security unlawfully took over FEMA staffing decisions. It directed a reduction from about 23,000 employees to roughly 11,500 and blocked renewals for hundreds of temporary disaster-response workers.

Illston found that federal officials violated reforms enacted after Hurricane Katrina to protect FEMA's independence within DHS. She said DHS had unlawfully taken over the agency's authority to manage its personnel.

The ruling included no remedies or penalties. If the parties cannot reach agreement, they must submit a joint filing identifying their remaining disputes by October 9. Illston said she would separately decide what relief, if any, to order.