A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration acted unlawfully when it ordered a reduction of FEMA's workforce by half. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California wrote that the Department of Homeland Security’s plan was "arbitrary and capricious," threatening the agency's ability to respond to disasters. The plan aimed to cut more than 11,000 employees, including thousands of temporary CORE staff, by the end of September. While the administration did not fully implement the 50 percent reduction, FEMA's workforce had already shrunk significantly.

The American Federation of Government Employees argued the cuts would deeply affect emergency response capabilities. FEMA stated it was ensuring workforce stability for upcoming national events. The judge ordered parties to meet and reach an agreement on relief by Oct. 9, or the court would issue a ruling.