Attorney General Aaron D. Ford, along with a coalition of 20 attorneys general, has achieved a preliminary injunction in the case Maryland et al. v. USDA. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for Maryland against multiple federal agencies over the alleged unlawful mass firing of federal probationary employees.
The injunction mandates that these agencies reinstate unlawfully terminated probationary employees who reside or work in the plaintiff states while the legal proceedings continue. It also requires adherence to lawful procedures for any future workforce reductions.
"The Trump administration violated the law when it mass fired federal probationary employees, and it did so with no regard for its effect on Nevada and its hardworking civil servants," stated AG Ford. "This decision ensures that these Nevadans are protected and puts a stop to these illegal actions while we continue this legal fight — a fight we are confident we will win. I will continue to defend the rule of law and hold the Trump administration accountable."
AG Ford joined this legal action on March 6, 2025, seeking immediate relief due to what he described as irreparable harm caused to Nevada and other plaintiff states by these firings. A temporary restraining order was issued by a federal judge on March 14, 2025, affecting 18 federal agencies initially. This order was extended briefly but was set to expire on April 1.
The preliminary injunction now extends this earlier court order, requiring involved federal agencies to halt further unlawful terminations and reinstate affected employees during ongoing litigation. The specific agencies named include: Department of Agriculture; Department of Transportation; Department of Commerce; Department of the Treasury; Department of Defense; Department of Veterans Affairs; Department of Education; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Department of Energy; Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Health and Human Services; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Department of Homeland Security; General Services Administration; Department of Housing and Urban Development; Office of Personnel Management; Department of the Interior; Small Business Administration; Department of Labor, and United States Agency for International Development.
Joining AG Ford in this lawsuit is Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown alongside attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Wisconsin.