A federal Clinton judge ruled that the State Department can’t overhaul its own department and layoff 2,000 to do it. In other words, the State Department can’t reduce the size of the Deep State.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco said during a virtual hearing that her May ruling barring federal agencies from laying off tens of thousands of employees at the direction of President Donald Trump applies to the planned overhaul announced by the State Department in April.

The State Department had argued that its reorganization plan, submitted to Congress last month, predated a February executive order and subsequent White House memo directing mass layoffs, placing it outside the scope of Illston’s decision.

But Illston said various State Department documents, including a budget proposal recently submitted to Congress, explicitly cited Trump’s order.

So, where is Congress? Why can’t they meet and come up with something and end these expensive lawsuits?

“If things proceed consistent with that executive order, even if they were initiated in some different way … then they are barred,” said Illston.

Layoff notices are cancelled for now.

The Trump administration has already asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause Illston’s May decision while it appeals. Illston blocked about 20 federal agencies, including the State Department, from carrying out plans to downsize and restructure at Trump’s direction, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.