A federal judge on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, blocked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from proceeding with a plan to reorganize its agencies, close offices, and relocate approximately 2,600 employees. The ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California halts the movement of workers from the Washington, D.C., region to other hubs across the country.
The USDA first announced this reorganization effort in the summer of 2025. The Trump administration has stated the plan is intended to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and move federal services closer to the agricultural regions they serve. However, a coalition of federal labor unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union, sued to stop the plan, alleging it was an attempt to reduce the workforce without proper congressional authorization.
Judge Vince Chhabria ruled that the USDA "almost certainly" violated federal law by reprogramming congressional funds for purposes not intended by the legislature. The judge noted that fiscal 2026 appropriations legislation prohibits the USDA from undertaking a reorganization without congressional approval. The order prevents the closure of facilities such as the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland and blocks the enforcement of "management-directed reassignments" that require employees to relocate or lose their jobs.
This ruling affects approximately 2,600 federal employees in the Washington region who were facing mandatory relocation or the loss of their positions. In Prince George’s County, Maryland, local officials estimated that the closure of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center would have affected roughly 1,000 jobs. Employees at several major agencies, including the Forest Service, the Food and Nutrition Administration, and the Agricultural Research Service, remain in their current locations while the legal dispute continues.
For these workers, the order results in the immediate suspension of relocation notices and enforcement of management-directed reassignments. The USDA is required to notify all affected staff of this update within two days of the order. While this provides temporary job security in their current locations, the court acknowledged the stay may be short-lived because the legislative restrictions currently blocking the reorganization are tied to a continuing resolution that expires on Dec. 11, 2026.
The ruling addresses the executive branch's authority to use appropriated funds for office closures without specific legislative consent. If Congress chooses not to extend the restrictions beyond the December deadline, the administration may be able to resume its plans. The USDA is reviewing the decision and plans to file a response with the court. The department must also declare to the court within one week that it has complied with the order to stop reorganization activities.