Twenty Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit on March 7, 2025, in U.S. District Court of Maryland challenging the Trump administration's recent mass termination of approximately 24,000 probationary federal employees [1][2].

The lawsuit alleges the administration violated federal regulations by failing to follow proper Reduction in Force (RIF) procedures, which require 60-day advance notice to affected employees and states, job placement assistance, and special protections for veterans [2].

According to court documents, the terminations have severely impacted several federal agencies, including:

Internal Revenue Service: ~6,000 employeesDepartment of Agriculture: ~2,000 employeesDepartment of Veterans Affairs: ~2,400 employeesForest Service: ~3,400 employees [1]

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, the lead plaintiff, stated the terminations were falsely labeled as performance-based dismissals when they were actually part of a broader government downsizing effort [2].

The impact has been particularly severe in areas with high concentrations of federal workers. Maryland and the District of Columbia, which together host nearly 366,000 federal employees, have seen unemployment claims spike dramatically. Maryland reported over 800 federal worker unemployment claims since January 20, compared to 189 during the same period last year [2].

The lawsuit seeks immediate court intervention through a temporary restraining order to:

Halt planned layoffsReinstate terminated employeesRequire federal agencies to file detailed reports on all terminations since January 20, 2025 [2][3]

The Justice Department has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit [2].