On October 13, 2026, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco stayed the Agriculture Department's reorganization in AFGE v. USDA, a suit by federal employee unions, nonprofits and local governments. “On the facts of this case, the most appropriate remedy is indeed to stay USDA's reorganization expenditures, full stop,” he wrote, finding “strong evidence that USDA's planned reorganization activities deviate from Congress's expectations.” The order bars USDA from carrying out relocations for about 2,600 employees while the case proceeds, Government Executive reported.
Spending-bill provisions restricting USDA from using appropriated money on the reorganization run through December 11 under the current continuing resolution, the order notes. A USDA spokesperson said, “These are hard decisions, made worse by the weaponization of the judicial system,” Politico reported. The plan includes moving Forest Service functions out of Washington (see The Forest Service Will Close 57 Research Stations and Move Its Headquarters From Washington to Salt Lake City).