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TRUMP 3", "paragraph_id": "para_70" }, { "text": "GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY;", "paragraph_id": "para_71" }, { "text": "ELON MUSK, in his official capacity", "paragraph_id": "para_72" }, { "text": "as the actual head of the Department", "paragraph_id": "para_73" }, { "text": "of Government Efficiency; AMY", "paragraph_id": "para_74" }, { "text": "GLEASON, in her official capacity", "paragraph_id": "para_75" }, { "text": "as the titular Acting Administrator of", "paragraph_id": "para_76" }, { "text": "the Department of Government", "paragraph_id": "para_77" }, { "text": "Efficiency; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_78" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF", "paragraph_id": "para_79" }, { "text": "AGRICULTURE; BROOKE", "paragraph_id": "para_80" }, { "text": "ROLLINS, in her official capacity as", "paragraph_id": "para_81" }, { "text": "Secretary of the U.S. Department of", "paragraph_id": "para_82" }, { "text": "Agriculture; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_83" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE;", "paragraph_id": "para_84" }, { "text": "HOWARD LUTNICK, in his official", "paragraph_id": "para_85" }, { "text": "capacity as Secretary of the U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_86" }, { "text": "Department of Commerce; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_87" }, { "text": "STATES DEPARTMENT OF", "paragraph_id": "para_88" }, { "text": "DEFENSE; PETER HEGSETH, in", "paragraph_id": "para_89" }, { "text": "his official capacity as Secretary of", "paragraph_id": "para_90" }, { "text": "the U.S. Department of Defense;", "paragraph_id": "para_91" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_92" }, { "text": "OF ENERGY; CHRIS WRIGHT, in", "paragraph_id": "para_93" }, { "text": "his official capacity as Secretary of", "paragraph_id": "para_94" }, { "text": "the U.S. Department of Energy;", "paragraph_id": "para_95" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_96" }, { "text": "OF HEALTH AND HUMAN", "paragraph_id": "para_97" }, { "text": "SERVICES; ROBERT F.", "paragraph_id": "para_98" }, { "text": "KENNEDY, Jr., in his official", "paragraph_id": "para_99" }, { "text": "capacity as Secretary of the U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_100" }, { "text": "Department of Health and Human", "paragraph_id": "para_101" }, { "text": "Services; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_102" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND", "paragraph_id": "para_103" }, { "text": "4 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_104" }, { "text": "SECURITY; KRISTI NOEM, in her", "paragraph_id": "para_105" }, { "text": "official capacity as Secretary of the", "paragraph_id": "para_106" }, { "text": "U.S. Department of Homeland", "paragraph_id": "para_107" }, { "text": "Security; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_108" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING", "paragraph_id": "para_109" }, { "text": "AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT;", "paragraph_id": "para_110" }, { "text": "SCOTT TURNER, in his official", "paragraph_id": "para_111" }, { "text": "capacity as Secretary of the U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_112" }, { "text": "Department of Housing and Urban", "paragraph_id": "para_113" }, { "text": "Development; DOJ - UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_114" }, { "text": "STATES DEPARTMENT OF", "paragraph_id": "para_115" }, { "text": "JUSTICE; PAMELA BONDI,", "paragraph_id": "para_116" }, { "text": "Attorney General, in her official", "paragraph_id": "para_117" }, { "text": "capacity as Attorney General of the", "paragraph_id": "para_118" }, { "text": "U.S. Department of Justice; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_119" }, { "text": "STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE", "paragraph_id": "para_120" }, { "text": "INTERIOR; DOUG BURGUM, in", "paragraph_id": "para_121" }, { "text": "his official capacity as Secretary of", "paragraph_id": "para_122" }, { "text": "the U.S. Department of the Interior;", "paragraph_id": "para_123" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_124" }, { "text": "OF LABOR; LORI CHAVEZ-", "paragraph_id": "para_125" }, { "text": "DEREMER, in her official capacity", "paragraph_id": "para_126" }, { "text": "as Secretary of the U.S. Department", "paragraph_id": "para_127" }, { "text": "of Labor; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_128" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF STATE;", "paragraph_id": "para_129" }, { "text": "MARCO RUBIO, in his official", "paragraph_id": "para_130" }, { "text": "capacity as Secretary of the U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_131" }, { "text": "Department of State; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_132" }, { "text": "STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE", "paragraph_id": "para_133" }, { "text": "TREASURY; SCOTT BESSENT, in", "paragraph_id": "para_134" }, { "text": "his official capacity as Secretary of", "paragraph_id": "para_135" }, { "text": "U.S. Department of Treasury;", "paragraph_id": "para_136" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_137" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. 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KAPLAN, in", "paragraph_id": "para_162" }, { "text": "his official capacity as Chairman of", "paragraph_id": "para_163" }, { "text": "the National Labor Relations Board;", "paragraph_id": "para_164" }, { "text": "WILLIAM COWEN, in his official", "paragraph_id": "para_165" }, { "text": "capacity as the Acting General", "paragraph_id": "para_166" }, { "text": "Counsel of the National Labor", "paragraph_id": "para_167" }, { "text": "Relations Board; NATIONAL", "paragraph_id": "para_168" }, { "text": "SCIENCE FOUNDATION; BRIAN", "paragraph_id": "para_169" }, { "text": "STONE, in his official capacity as", "paragraph_id": "para_170" }, { "text": "Acting Director of the National", "paragraph_id": "para_171" }, { "text": "6 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_172" }, { "text": "Science Foundation; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_173" }, { "text": "STATES SMALL BUSINESS", "paragraph_id": "para_174" }, { "text": "ADMINISTRATION; KELLY", "paragraph_id": "para_175" }, { "text": "LOEFFLER, in her official capacity", "paragraph_id": "para_176" }, { "text": "as Administrator of the U.S. Small", "paragraph_id": "para_177" }, { "text": "Business Administration; SOCIAL", "paragraph_id": "para_178" }, { "text": "SECURITY ADMINISTRATION;", "paragraph_id": "para_179" }, { "text": "FRANK BISIGNANO,", "paragraph_id": "para_180" }, { "text": "Commissioner of Social Security, in", "paragraph_id": "para_181" }, { "text": "his official capacity as Commissioner", "paragraph_id": "para_182" }, { "text": "of the U.S. Social Security", "paragraph_id": "para_183" }, { "text": "Administration,", "paragraph_id": "para_184" }, { "text": "Defendants - Appellants.", "paragraph_id": "para_185" }, { "text": "IN Re DONALD J. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_186" }, { "text": "___________________________", "paragraph_id": "para_187" }, { "text": "DONALD J. TRUMP; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_188" }, { "text": "STATES OFFICE OF", "paragraph_id": "para_189" }, { "text": "MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET;", "paragraph_id": "para_190" }, { "text": "RUSSELL VOUGHT; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_191" }, { "text": "STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL", "paragraph_id": "para_192" }, { "text": "MANAGEMENT; CHARLES", "paragraph_id": "para_193" }, { "text": "EZELL; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_194" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF", "paragraph_id": "para_195" }, { "text": "GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY;", "paragraph_id": "para_196" }, { "text": "ELON MUSK; AMY GLEASON;", "paragraph_id": "para_197" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_198" }, { "text": "OF AGRICULTURE; BROOKE", "paragraph_id": "para_199" }, { "text": "ROLLINS; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_200" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE;", "paragraph_id": "para_201" }, { "text": "No. 25-4476", "paragraph_id": "para_202" }, { "text": "D.C. No.", "paragraph_id": "para_203" }, { "text": "3:25-cv-03698-SI", "paragraph_id": "para_204" }, { "text": "Northern District", "paragraph_id": "para_205" }, { "text": "of California,", "paragraph_id": "para_206" }, { "text": "San Francisco", "paragraph_id": "para_207" }, { "text": "ORDER", "paragraph_id": "para_208" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 7", "paragraph_id": "para_209" }, { "text": "HOWARD LUTNICK; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_210" }, { "text": "STATES DEPARTMENT OF", "paragraph_id": "para_211" }, { "text": "DEFENSE; PETER HEGSETH;", "paragraph_id": "para_212" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_213" }, { "text": "OF ENERGY; CHRIS WRIGHT;", "paragraph_id": "para_214" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_215" }, { "text": "OF HEALTH AND HUMAN", "paragraph_id": "para_216" }, { "text": "SERVICES; ROBERT F.", "paragraph_id": "para_217" }, { "text": "KENNEDY, Jr.; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_218" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND", "paragraph_id": "para_219" }, { "text": "SECURITY; KRISTI NOEM;", "paragraph_id": "para_220" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_221" }, { "text": "OF HOUSING AND URBAN", "paragraph_id": "para_222" }, { "text": "DEVELOPMENT; SCOTT", "paragraph_id": "para_223" }, { "text": "TURNER; DOJ - UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_224" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE;", "paragraph_id": "para_225" }, { "text": "PAMELA BONDI, Attorney", "paragraph_id": "para_226" }, { "text": "General; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_227" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF THE", "paragraph_id": "para_228" }, { "text": "INTERIOR; DOUG BURGUM;", "paragraph_id": "para_229" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_230" }, { "text": "OF LABOR; LORI CHAVEZ-", "paragraph_id": "para_231" }, { "text": "DEREMER; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_232" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF STATE;", "paragraph_id": "para_233" }, { "text": "MARCO RUBIO; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_234" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF THE", "paragraph_id": "para_235" }, { "text": "TREASURY; SCOTT BESSENT;", "paragraph_id": "para_236" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_237" }, { "text": "OF TRANSPORTATION; SEAN", "paragraph_id": "para_238" }, { "text": "DUFFY; UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_239" }, { "text": "DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS", "paragraph_id": "para_240" }, { "text": "AFFAIRS; DOUG COLLINS;", "paragraph_id": "para_241" }, { "text": "AMERICORPS; JENNIFER", "paragraph_id": "para_242" }, { "text": "8 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_243" }, { "text": "BASTRESS TAHMASEBI;", "paragraph_id": "para_244" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES", "paragraph_id": "para_245" }, { "text": "ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION", "paragraph_id": "para_246" }, { "text": "AGENCY; LEE ZELDIN; UNITED", "paragraph_id": "para_247" }, { "text": "STATES GENERAL SERVICES", "paragraph_id": "para_248" }, { "text": "ADMINISTRATION; STEPHEN", "paragraph_id": "para_249" }, { "text": "EHIKIAN; NATIONAL LABOR", "paragraph_id": "para_250" }, { "text": "RELATIONS BOARD; MARVIN E.", "paragraph_id": "para_251" }, { "text": "KAPLAN; WILLIAM COWEN;", "paragraph_id": "para_252" }, { "text": "NATIONAL SCIENCE", "paragraph_id": "para_253" }, { "text": "FOUNDATION; BRIAN STONE;", "paragraph_id": "para_254" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES SMALL", "paragraph_id": "para_255" }, { "text": "BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION;", "paragraph_id": "para_256" }, { "text": "KELLY LOEFFLER; SOCIAL", "paragraph_id": "para_257" }, { "text": "SECURITY ADMINISTRATION;", "paragraph_id": "para_258" }, { "text": "FRANK BISIGNANO,", "paragraph_id": "para_259" }, { "text": "Commissioner of Social Security,", "paragraph_id": "para_260" }, { "text": "Petitioners,", "paragraph_id": "para_261" }, { "text": "v.", "paragraph_id": "para_262" }, { "text": "UNITED STATES DISTRICT", "paragraph_id": "para_263" }, { "text": "COURT FOR THE NORTHERN", "paragraph_id": "para_264" }, { "text": "DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, SAN", "paragraph_id": "para_265" }, { "text": "FRANCISCO,", "paragraph_id": "para_266" }, { "text": "Respondent,", "paragraph_id": "para_267" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FEDERATION OF", "paragraph_id": "para_268" }, { "text": "GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES,", "paragraph_id": "para_269" }, { "text": "AFL-CIO; AMERICAN", "paragraph_id": "para_270" }, { "text": "FEDERATION OF STATE,", "paragraph_id": "para_271" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 9", "paragraph_id": "para_272" }, { "text": "COUNTY & MUNICIPAL", "paragraph_id": "para_273" }, { "text": "EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO; SERVICE", "paragraph_id": "para_274" }, { "text": "EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL", "paragraph_id": "para_275" }, { "text": "UNION; AMERICAN", "paragraph_id": "para_276" }, { "text": "FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_277" }, { "text": "EMPLOYEES - LOCAL 1122;", "paragraph_id": "para_278" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FEDERATION OF", "paragraph_id": "para_279" }, { "text": "GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES -", "paragraph_id": "para_280" }, { "text": "LOCAL 1236; AMERICAN", "paragraph_id": "para_281" }, { "text": "FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT", "paragraph_id": "para_282" }, { "text": "EMPLOYEES - LOCAL 2110;", "paragraph_id": "para_283" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FEDERATION OF", "paragraph_id": "para_284" }, { "text": "GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES -", "paragraph_id": "para_285" }, { "text": "LOCAL 3172; SERVICE", "paragraph_id": "para_286" }, { "text": "EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL", "paragraph_id": "para_287" }, { "text": "UNION - LOCAL 1000; ALLIANCE", "paragraph_id": "para_288" }, { "text": "FOR RETIRED AMERICANS;", "paragraph_id": "para_289" }, { "text": "AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL", "paragraph_id": "para_290" }, { "text": "UNION; AMERICAN PUBLIC", "paragraph_id": "para_291" }, { "text": "HEALTH ASSOCIATION;", "paragraph_id": "para_292" }, { "text": "CENTER FOR TAXPAYER", "paragraph_id": "para_293" }, { "text": "RIGHTS; COALITION TO", "paragraph_id": "para_294" }, { "text": "PROTECT AMERICA'S", "paragraph_id": "para_295" }, { "text": "NATIONAL PARKS; COMMON", "paragraph_id": "para_296" }, { "text": "DEFENSE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT;", "paragraph_id": "para_297" }, { "text": "MAIN STREET ALLIANCE;", "paragraph_id": "para_298" }, { "text": "NATURAL RESOURCES", "paragraph_id": "para_299" }, { "text": "DEFENSE COUNCIL, INC.;", "paragraph_id": "para_300" }, { "text": "NORTHEAST ORGANIC", "paragraph_id": "para_301" }, { "text": "FARMING ASSOCIATION, INC.;", "paragraph_id": "para_302" }, { "text": "VOTEVETS ACTION FUND, INC.;", "paragraph_id": "para_303" }, { "text": "WESTERN WATERSHEDS", "paragraph_id": "para_304" }, { "text": "PROJECT; COUNTY OF SANTA", "paragraph_id": "para_305" }, { "text": "10 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_306" }, { "text": "CLARA; CITY OF CHICAGO;", "paragraph_id": "para_307" }, { "text": "COUNTY OF MARTIN LUTHER", "paragraph_id": "para_308" }, { "text": "KING, JR.,; COUNTY OF HARRIS;", "paragraph_id": "para_309" }, { "text": "CITY OF BALTIMORE; CITY AND", "paragraph_id": "para_310" }, { "text": "COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO,", "paragraph_id": "para_311" }, { "text": "Real Parties in Interest.", "paragraph_id": "para_312" }, { "text": "Filed September 19, 2025", "paragraph_id": "para_313" }, { "text": "Before: William A. Fletcher, Johnnie B. Rawlinson, and", "paragraph_id": "para_314" }, { "text": "Sandra S. Ikuta, Circuit Judges", "paragraph_id": "para_315" }, { "text": "Order by Judge W. Fletcher;", "paragraph_id": "para_316" }, { "text": "Partial Concurrence and Partial Dissent by Judge Ikuta", "paragraph_id": "para_317" }, { "text": "SUMMARY*", "paragraph_id": "para_318" }, { "text": "Executive Orders / Mandamus", "paragraph_id": "para_319" }, { "text": "In an action brought by the American Federation of", "paragraph_id": "para_320" }, { "text": "Government Employees, AFL–CIO and others challenging", "paragraph_id": "para_321" }, { "text": "the issuance and implementation of President Trump’s", "paragraph_id": "para_322" }, { "text": "Executive Order 14210, directing federal agencies to", "paragraph_id": "para_323" }, { "text": "commence large-scale reductions in force (“RIFs”), the", "paragraph_id": "para_324" }, { "text": "panel (1) denied the government parties’ petition for a writ", "paragraph_id": "para_325" }, { "text": "* This summary constitutes no part of the opinion of the court. It has", "paragraph_id": "para_326" }, { "text": "been prepared by court staff for the convenience of the reader.", "paragraph_id": "para_327" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 11", "paragraph_id": "para_328" }, { "text": "of mandamus, (2) vacated the district court’s preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_329" }, { "text": "injunction, and (3) remanded to the district court.", "paragraph_id": "para_330" }, { "text": "Following the issuance of the Executive Order, an", "paragraph_id": "para_331" }, { "text": "implementing memorandum (“Memorandum”) from the", "paragraph_id": "para_332" }, { "text": "Office of Management and Budget and the Office of", "paragraph_id": "para_333" }, { "text": "Personnel Management directed multiple federal agencies to", "paragraph_id": "para_334" }, { "text": "submit Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans (“ARRPs”)", "paragraph_id": "para_335" }, { "text": "for review and approval. Sweeping reorganizations and cuts", "paragraph_id": "para_336" }, { "text": "to agency personnel followed. Plaintiffs filed suit alleging", "paragraph_id": "para_337" }, { "text": "that the ongoing efforts to reorganize and cut broad swaths", "paragraph_id": "para_338" }, { "text": "of the federal government were contrary to law. The district", "paragraph_id": "para_339" }, { "text": "court issued a preliminary injunction based on four of the", "paragraph_id": "para_340" }, { "text": "seven claims. The Supreme Court stayed the injunction", "paragraph_id": "para_341" }, { "text": "pending appeal, noting that the government was likely to", "paragraph_id": "para_342" }, { "text": "succeed on its argument that the Executive Order and", "paragraph_id": "para_343" }, { "text": "Memorandum were lawful, but expressly declining to rule", "paragraph_id": "para_344" }, { "text": "on the legality of any Agency RIF or ARRP produced", "paragraph_id": "para_345" }, { "text": "pursuant to the Executive Order.", "paragraph_id": "para_346" }, { "text": "Addressing the government’s mandamus petition, the", "paragraph_id": "para_347" }, { "text": "panel held that the district court did not clearly err in issuing", "paragraph_id": "para_348" }, { "text": "a discovery order that required in camera production of the", "paragraph_id": "para_349" }, { "text": "ARRPs of all named agency defendants. There were good", "paragraph_id": "para_350" }, { "text": "reasons to conclude that the deliberative process privilege", "paragraph_id": "para_351" }, { "text": "did not apply to the ARRPs. However, even if the", "paragraph_id": "para_352" }, { "text": "deliberative process privilege applied, it was overcome by", "paragraph_id": "para_353" }, { "text": "the circumstances of this case. The ARRPs subject to the", "paragraph_id": "para_354" }, { "text": "discovery order were plainly relevant to the claims, the", "paragraph_id": "para_355" }, { "text": "evidence could not be obtained elsewhere, and judicial", "paragraph_id": "para_356" }, { "text": "review in an ultra vires challenge is not limited to an", "paragraph_id": "para_357" }, { "text": "administrative record.", "paragraph_id": "para_358" }, { "text": "The panel granted plaintiffs’ motion to remand,", "paragraph_id": "para_359" }, { "text": "determining that it would serve judicial economy for the", "paragraph_id": "para_360" }, { "text": "12 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_361" }, { "text": "district court to assess in the first instance the impact of a", "paragraph_id": "para_362" }, { "text": "number of recent developments, including the Supreme", "paragraph_id": "para_363" }, { "text": "Court’s stay of the district court’s injunction pending appeal,", "paragraph_id": "para_364" }, { "text": "the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Casa limiting the", "paragraph_id": "para_365" }, { "text": "power of district courts to issue nationwide injunctions, the", "paragraph_id": "para_366" }, { "text": "ongoing agency reorganization actions that dismiss and", "paragraph_id": "para_367" }, { "text": "threaten to dismiss employees, the continuing pendency of", "paragraph_id": "para_368" }, { "text": "three claims in the district court, and information based on", "paragraph_id": "para_369" }, { "text": "discovery of the ARRPs at issue in the mandamus petition.", "paragraph_id": "para_370" }, { "text": "A remand to allow the district court to consider these", "paragraph_id": "para_371" }, { "text": "ARRPs, as well as other discovered evidence, is consistent", "paragraph_id": "para_372" }, { "text": "with the Supreme Court’s order, which expressly declined to", "paragraph_id": "para_373" }, { "text": "express a view on the legality of the ARRPs. The panel", "paragraph_id": "para_374" }, { "text": "expressed no view on the merits of the current appeal.", "paragraph_id": "para_375" }, { "text": "Dissenting in part, Judge Ikuta wrote that the majority", "paragraph_id": "para_376" }, { "text": "today does not acknowledge the district court’s clear error in", "paragraph_id": "para_377" }, { "text": "ordering the production of documents that implicate the", "paragraph_id": "para_378" }, { "text": "executive branch’s deliberative processes. The ARRPs are", "paragraph_id": "para_379" }, { "text": "pre-termination and pre-decisional documents that are", "paragraph_id": "para_380" }, { "text": "protected by the deliberate process privilege. Because the", "paragraph_id": "para_381" }, { "text": "district court’s production order was clearly erroneous as a", "paragraph_id": "para_382" }, { "text": "matter of law, and the other mandamus factors also favored", "paragraph_id": "para_383" }, { "text": "the government, Judge Ikuta respectfully dissented from the", "paragraph_id": "para_384" }, { "text": "decision to deny mandamus relief.", "paragraph_id": "para_385" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 13", "paragraph_id": "para_386" }, { "text": "COUNSEL", "paragraph_id": "para_387" }, { "text": "Stacey M. Leyton (argued), Alice X. Wang, Robin S. Tholin,", "paragraph_id": "para_388" }, { "text": "Barbara J. Chisholm, Corinne Johnson, and Danielle E.", "paragraph_id": "para_389" }, { "text": "Leonard, Altshuler Berzon LLP, San Francisco, California;", "paragraph_id": "para_390" }, { "text": "Julia Torti, Protect Democracy, Washington, D.C.; Rushab", "paragraph_id": "para_391" }, { "text": "Sanghvi, American Federation of Government Employees,", "paragraph_id": "para_392" }, { "text": "Washington, D.C.; Skye Perryman, Tsuki Hoshijima, and", "paragraph_id": "para_393" }, { "text": "Elena Goldstein, Democracy Forward Foundation,", "paragraph_id": "para_394" }, { "text": "Washington, D.C.; for Plaintiffs-Appellees.", "paragraph_id": "para_395" }, { "text": "Maxwell A. Baldi (argued), Courtney L. Dixon, and Mark", "paragraph_id": "para_396" }, { "text": "R. Freeman, Attorneys, Appellate Staff; Andrew M. Bernie,", "paragraph_id": "para_397" }, { "text": "Trial Attorney; Eric D. McArthur, Deputy Assistant", "paragraph_id": "para_398" }, { "text": "Attorney General; Yaakov M. Roth, Acting Assistant", "paragraph_id": "para_399" }, { "text": "Attorney General; Eric A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney", "paragraph_id": "para_400" }, { "text": "General; Patrick D. Robbins, Acting United States Attorney;", "paragraph_id": "para_401" }, { "text": "Craig H. Missakian, United States Attorney; United States", "paragraph_id": "para_402" }, { "text": "Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.; for Defendants-", "paragraph_id": "para_403" }, { "text": "Appellants.", "paragraph_id": "para_404" }, { "text": "14 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_405" }, { "text": "ORDER", "paragraph_id": "para_406" }, { "text": "W. FLETCHER, Circuit Judge:", "paragraph_id": "para_407" }, { "text": "On July 21, 2025, the government parties, defendants in", "paragraph_id": "para_408" }, { "text": "the district court, petitioned for a writ of mandamus that", "paragraph_id": "para_409" }, { "text": "would require the district court to vacate a discovery order", "paragraph_id": "para_410" }, { "text": "requiring in camera production of certain agency", "paragraph_id": "para_411" }, { "text": "documents. Trump v. United States District Court for the", "paragraph_id": "para_412" }, { "text": "Northern District of California, No. 25-4476. On August 5,", "paragraph_id": "para_413" }, { "text": "2025, American Federation of Government Employees,", "paragraph_id": "para_414" }, { "text": "AFL–CIO et al., plaintiffs in the district court and appellees", "paragraph_id": "para_415" }, { "text": "in this court, moved for remand of the government parties’", "paragraph_id": "para_416" }, { "text": "pending appeal of the district court’s preliminary injunction.", "paragraph_id": "para_417" }, { "text": "American Federation of Government Employees v. Trump,", "paragraph_id": "para_418" }, { "text": "No. 25-3293.", "paragraph_id": "para_419" }, { "text": "We deny the petition for mandamus, and we vacate the", "paragraph_id": "para_420" }, { "text": "district court’s preliminary injunction and remand to the", "paragraph_id": "para_421" }, { "text": "district court.", "paragraph_id": "para_422" }, { "text": "I. Background", "paragraph_id": "para_423" }, { "text": "On February 11, 2025, President Trump signed", "paragraph_id": "para_424" }, { "text": "Executive Order 14210, directing federal agencies to", "paragraph_id": "para_425" }, { "text": "commence large-scale reductions in force (“RIFs”) as part of", "paragraph_id": "para_426" }, { "text": "what the Executive Order characterized as a “critical", "paragraph_id": "para_427" }, { "text": "transformation of the Federal bureaucracy.” 90 Fed. Reg.", "paragraph_id": "para_428" }, { "text": "9669 (Feb. 11, 2025). Shortly thereafter, an implementing", "paragraph_id": "para_429" }, { "text": "memorandum (“Memorandum”) from the Office of", "paragraph_id": "para_430" }, { "text": "Management and Budget (“OMB”) and the Office of", "paragraph_id": "para_431" }, { "text": "Personnel Management (“OPM”) directed multiple federal", "paragraph_id": "para_432" }, { "text": "agencies to submit Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans", "paragraph_id": "para_433" }, { "text": "(“ARRPs”) for review and approval by OMB and OPM.", "paragraph_id": "para_434" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 15", "paragraph_id": "para_435" }, { "text": "Sweeping reorganizations and cuts to agency personnel", "paragraph_id": "para_436" }, { "text": "swiftly followed. See AFGE v. Trump, 139 F.4th 1020,", "paragraph_id": "para_437" }, { "text": "1028, 1035 (9th Cir. 2025) (noting sweeping cuts underway", "paragraph_id": "para_438" }, { "text": "at, inter alia, Social Security Administration, Environmental", "paragraph_id": "para_439" }, { "text": "Protection Agency, Department of Labor, General Services", "paragraph_id": "para_440" }, { "text": "Administration, and Department of Housing and Urban", "paragraph_id": "para_441" }, { "text": "Development); AFGE v. Trump, No. 25-CV-03698, ----", "paragraph_id": "para_442" }, { "text": "F.Supp.3d ----, 2025 WL 1482511, at *1 n.1, *5 (N.D. Cal.", "paragraph_id": "para_443" }, { "text": "May 22, 2025) (same at, inter alia, Department of Health", "paragraph_id": "para_444" }, { "text": "and Human Services, AmeriCorps, and Small Business", "paragraph_id": "para_445" }, { "text": "Administration). Plaintiffs filed suit in the District Court for", "paragraph_id": "para_446" }, { "text": "the Northern District of California, alleging in seven claims", "paragraph_id": "para_447" }, { "text": "that the ongoing efforts to reorganize and cut broad swaths", "paragraph_id": "para_448" }, { "text": "of the federal government were contrary to law. Dist. Ct.", "paragraph_id": "para_449" }, { "text": "Dkt. No. 1 (complaint); Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 100 (amended", "paragraph_id": "para_450" }, { "text": "complaint). The district court addressed four of the seven", "paragraph_id": "para_451" }, { "text": "claims (Claims I, II, III, and V). Based on those claims, it", "paragraph_id": "para_452" }, { "text": "issued a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) against the", "paragraph_id": "para_453" }, { "text": "government defendants (“the government”) on May 9, Dist.", "paragraph_id": "para_454" }, { "text": "Ct. Dkt. No. 85, and a preliminary injunction on May 22.", "paragraph_id": "para_455" }, { "text": "Dist Ct. Dkt. No. 124. The district court did not address the", "paragraph_id": "para_456" }, { "text": "merits of the three other claims (Claims IV, VI, and VII),", "paragraph_id": "para_457" }, { "text": "which remain pending in the district court.", "paragraph_id": "para_458" }, { "text": "The government appealed the grant of the preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_459" }, { "text": "injunction. A motions panel of this court denied the", "paragraph_id": "para_460" }, { "text": "government’s request for an emergency stay of the", "paragraph_id": "para_461" }, { "text": "injunction. AFGE, 139 F.4th at 1029. The government then", "paragraph_id": "para_462" }, { "text": "obtained an emergency stay from the Supreme Court. Trump", "paragraph_id": "para_463" }, { "text": "v. AFGE, 145 S. Ct. 2635, 2635 (2025). The Court’s brief", "paragraph_id": "para_464" }, { "text": "order noted that the government was “likely to succeed on", "paragraph_id": "para_465" }, { "text": "its argument that the Executive Order and Memorandum are", "paragraph_id": "para_466" }, { "text": "lawful,” but the Court expressly declined to express any", "paragraph_id": "para_467" }, { "text": "view on “the legality of any Agency RIF and Reorganization", "paragraph_id": "para_468" }, { "text": "16 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_469" }, { "text": "Plan produced or approved pursuant to the Executive Order", "paragraph_id": "para_470" }, { "text": "and Memorandum.” Id. The Court noted that the district", "paragraph_id": "para_471" }, { "text": "court had “enjoined further implementation or approval of", "paragraph_id": "para_472" }, { "text": "the plans based on its view about the illegality of the", "paragraph_id": "para_473" }, { "text": "Executive Order and Memorandum, not on any assessment", "paragraph_id": "para_474" }, { "text": "of the plans themselves.” Id. Justice Sotomayor wrote in a", "paragraph_id": "para_475" }, { "text": "separate concurrence that she agreed with the Court’s stay", "paragraph_id": "para_476" }, { "text": "because it left the district court free to consider the legality", "paragraph_id": "para_477" }, { "text": "of the plans and their implementation in the first instance.", "paragraph_id": "para_478" }, { "text": "Id. (Sotomayor, J., concurring).", "paragraph_id": "para_479" }, { "text": "By the time the Supreme Court issued its stay order,", "paragraph_id": "para_480" }, { "text": "discovery proceedings in the district court regarding agency", "paragraph_id": "para_481" }, { "text": "defendants’ ARRPs had already been under way for several", "paragraph_id": "para_482" }, { "text": "months. The chronology of those proceedings reflects the", "paragraph_id": "para_483" }, { "text": "care with which the district court has dealt with this case,", "paragraph_id": "para_484" }, { "text": "and the “careful consideration” it has afforded to the", "paragraph_id": "para_485" }, { "text": "government’s assertion of privilege and attendant separation", "paragraph_id": "para_486" }, { "text": "of powers concerns. Karnoski v. Trump, 926 F.3d 1180,", "paragraph_id": "para_487" }, { "text": "1207 (9th Cir. 2019) (per curiam). The district court first", "paragraph_id": "para_488" }, { "text": "ordered production of ARRPs on May 9, explaining that “the", "paragraph_id": "para_489" }, { "text": "release of the ARRPs will significantly aid the Court’s", "paragraph_id": "para_490" }, { "text": "review of the merits of these APA claims.” Dist. Ct. Dkt.", "paragraph_id": "para_491" }, { "text": "No. 85 at 37. After the government moved for a protective", "paragraph_id": "para_492" }, { "text": "order or for reconsideration based on an asserted claim of", "paragraph_id": "para_493" }, { "text": "deliberative process privilege, Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 88, the", "paragraph_id": "para_494" }, { "text": "district court stayed the production deadline to allow", "paragraph_id": "para_495" }, { "text": "evaluation of the asserted privilege. Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 92.", "paragraph_id": "para_496" }, { "text": "Upon reconsideration, the district court on May 15 ordered", "paragraph_id": "para_497" }, { "text": "the government to produce ARRPs from four agencies for in", "paragraph_id": "para_498" }, { "text": "camera review in order to assess “whether the deliberative", "paragraph_id": "para_499" }, { "text": "process privilege applies to the ARRPs of the federal agency", "paragraph_id": "para_500" }, { "text": "defendants in this case.” Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 109, at 4.", "paragraph_id": "para_501" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 17", "paragraph_id": "para_502" }, { "text": "After reviewing the four ARRPs in camera, the district", "paragraph_id": "para_503" }, { "text": "court determined on the existing record that the assertion of", "paragraph_id": "para_504" }, { "text": "privilege was inadequately supported. The court gave the", "paragraph_id": "para_505" }, { "text": "government an opportunity to submit further declarations", "paragraph_id": "para_506" }, { "text": "from the four agencies whose ARRPs it had reviewed. Dist.", "paragraph_id": "para_507" }, { "text": "Ct. Dkt. No. 139. The government filed declarations under", "paragraph_id": "para_508" }, { "text": "seal on June 13. Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 165.", "paragraph_id": "para_509" }, { "text": "On July 18, the district court issued the discovery order", "paragraph_id": "para_510" }, { "text": "at issue in the mandamus petition now before us. That order", "paragraph_id": "para_511" }, { "text": "required in camera production of the ARRPs of all named", "paragraph_id": "para_512" }, { "text": "agency defendants. Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 214. On July 21, the", "paragraph_id": "para_513" }, { "text": "government sought mandamus in our court, asking that we", "paragraph_id": "para_514" }, { "text": "direct the district court to vacate its discovery order. We", "paragraph_id": "para_515" }, { "text": "granted an administrative stay of the district court order", "paragraph_id": "para_516" }, { "text": "pending our review of the mandamus petition.", "paragraph_id": "para_517" }, { "text": "On August 5, plaintiffs moved to remand the", "paragraph_id": "para_518" }, { "text": "government’s appeal of the district court’s preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_519" }, { "text": "injunction.", "paragraph_id": "para_520" }, { "text": "We held oral argument on the mandamus petition and the", "paragraph_id": "para_521" }, { "text": "remand request on August 21. For the reasons explained", "paragraph_id": "para_522" }, { "text": "below, we deny the government’s mandamus petition and", "paragraph_id": "para_523" }, { "text": "grant plaintiffs’ motion to remand to the district court.", "paragraph_id": "para_524" }, { "text": "II. Mandamus Petition", "paragraph_id": "para_525" }, { "text": "Mandamus “is a drastic and extraordinary remedy", "paragraph_id": "para_526" }, { "text": "reserved for really extraordinary causes.” In re Bundy, 840", "paragraph_id": "para_527" }, { "text": "F.3d 1034, 1040 (9th Cir. 2016) (quoting Cheney v. U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_528" }, { "text": "Dist. Court, 542 U.S. 367, 380 (2004)); see also In re S. Bay", "paragraph_id": "para_529" }, { "text": "United Pentecostal Church, 992 F.3d 945, 949 (9th Cir.", "paragraph_id": "para_530" }, { "text": "2021); In re U.S., 791 F.3d 945, 954 (9th Cir. 2015). In", "paragraph_id": "para_531" }, { "text": "Cheney, the Supreme Court cautioned that because “the writ", "paragraph_id": "para_532" }, { "text": "is one of the most potent weapons in the judicial arsenal,” it", "paragraph_id": "para_533" }, { "text": "18 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_534" }, { "text": "may issue only when the petitioner has no other adequate", "paragraph_id": "para_535" }, { "text": "means to attain relief, and when petitioner demonstrates that", "paragraph_id": "para_536" }, { "text": "the right to the writ is “clear and indisputable.” 542 U.S. at", "paragraph_id": "para_537" }, { "text": "380–81 (cleaned up). Even where those prerequisites are", "paragraph_id": "para_538" }, { "text": "met, “the issuing court, in the exercise of its discretion, must", "paragraph_id": "para_539" }, { "text": "be satisfied that the writ is appropriate under the", "paragraph_id": "para_540" }, { "text": "circumstances.” Id. at 381.", "paragraph_id": "para_541" }, { "text": "In keeping with the high bar set by Cheney, our circuit", "paragraph_id": "para_542" }, { "text": "applies a five-factor test in assessing petitions for", "paragraph_id": "para_543" }, { "text": "mandamus. See Bauman v. U.S. Dist. Ct., 557 F.2d 650,", "paragraph_id": "para_544" }, { "text": "654–55 (9th Cir. 1977); Karnoski v. Trump, 926 F.3d 1180,", "paragraph_id": "para_545" }, { "text": "1203 (9th Cir. 2019). We have long held that the absence of", "paragraph_id": "para_546" }, { "text": "the third factor, clear error, is dispositive; in the absence of", "paragraph_id": "para_547" }, { "text": "clear error, the writ cannot be granted. In re S. Bay, 992 F.3d", "paragraph_id": "para_548" }, { "text": "at 949; In re U.S., 791 F.3d at 955; In re Bundy, 840 F.3d at", "paragraph_id": "para_549" }, { "text": "1041. The bar for clear error is high: “The clear error", "paragraph_id": "para_550" }, { "text": "standard is significantly deferential and is not met unless the", "paragraph_id": "para_551" }, { "text": "reviewing court is left with a ‘definite and firm conviction", "paragraph_id": "para_552" }, { "text": "that a mistake has been committed.’” In re Bundy, 840 F.3d", "paragraph_id": "para_553" }, { "text": "at 1041 (quoting In re U.S., 791 F.3d at 955). Where there", "paragraph_id": "para_554" }, { "text": "is “no prior Ninth Circuit authority [that] prohibited the", "paragraph_id": "para_555" }, { "text": "course taken by the District Court, its ruling is not clearly", "paragraph_id": "para_556" }, { "text": "erroneous.” In re Morgan, 506 F.3d 705, 713 (9th Cir.", "paragraph_id": "para_557" }, { "text": "2007). Even when the above factors are met, mandamus", "paragraph_id": "para_558" }, { "text": "remains “at bottom discretionary.” In re U.S., 895 F.3d", "paragraph_id": "para_559" }, { "text": "1101, 1104 (9th Cir. 2018). We find no clear error.", "paragraph_id": "para_560" }, { "text": "The government makes three primary arguments in favor", "paragraph_id": "para_561" }, { "text": "of the writ: first, that the ARRPs are protected by the", "paragraph_id": "para_562" }, { "text": "deliberative process privilege; second, that the privilege, if it", "paragraph_id": "para_563" }, { "text": "exists here, is not overcome by the interest in discovery in", "paragraph_id": "para_564" }, { "text": "this case; and third, that judicial review ought to be confined", "paragraph_id": "para_565" }, { "text": "to an administrative record which, they assert, does not", "paragraph_id": "para_566" }, { "text": "include the ARRPs. We address these arguments in turn.", "paragraph_id": "para_567" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 19", "paragraph_id": "para_568" }, { "text": "The first two arguments are linked, and we consider them", "paragraph_id": "para_569" }, { "text": "together. There are good reasons to conclude that the", "paragraph_id": "para_570" }, { "text": "deliberative process privilege does not apply to the ARRPs.", "paragraph_id": "para_571" }, { "text": "However, like the district court, we conclude that it is", "paragraph_id": "para_572" }, { "text": "unnecessary to decide that question since we find no clear", "paragraph_id": "para_573" }, { "text": "error in the district court’s determination that the privilege,", "paragraph_id": "para_574" }, { "text": "even if applicable, is overcome in the circumstances of this", "paragraph_id": "para_575" }, { "text": "case.", "paragraph_id": "para_576" }, { "text": "A document must be both “predecisional” and", "paragraph_id": "para_577" }, { "text": "“deliberative” for the deliberative process privilege to apply.", "paragraph_id": "para_578" }, { "text": "FTC v. Warner Commc’ns Inc., 742 F.2d 1156, 1161 (9th", "paragraph_id": "para_579" }, { "text": "Cir. 1984) (citing Coastal States Gas Corp. v. Dep’t of", "paragraph_id": "para_580" }, { "text": "Energy, 617 F.2d 854 (D.C. Cir. 1980)).", "paragraph_id": "para_581" }, { "text": "The government claims that the ARRPs are", "paragraph_id": "para_582" }, { "text": "predecisional, echoing OMB’s blanket statement that “[n]o", "paragraph_id": "para_583" }, { "text": "ARRP is ever ‘final.’” Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 88-1 at 2; Pet. 12", "paragraph_id": "para_584" }, { "text": "(“A Plan is never final . . . .”). But as our circuit and others", "paragraph_id": "para_585" }, { "text": "have long held, undifferentiated declarations of perpetual", "paragraph_id": "para_586" }, { "text": "non-finality are an inadequate basis for a claim of privilege.", "paragraph_id": "para_587" }, { "text": "“Any memorandum always will be ‘predecisional’ if", "paragraph_id": "para_588" }, { "text": "referenced to a decision that possibly may be made at some", "paragraph_id": "para_589" }, { "text": "undisclosed time in the future.” Assembly of State of Cal. v.", "paragraph_id": "para_590" }, { "text": "Dep’t of Commerce, 968 F.2d 916, 921 (9th Cir. 1992); see", "paragraph_id": "para_591" }, { "text": "also Sackett v. EPA, 566 U.S. 120, 127 (2012) (“The mere", "paragraph_id": "para_592" }, { "text": "possibility that an agency might reconsider . . . does not", "paragraph_id": "para_593" }, { "text": "suffice to make an otherwise final agency action nonfinal.”);", "paragraph_id": "para_594" }, { "text": "Gen. Elec. Co. v. EPA, 290 F.3d 377, 380 (D.C. Cir. 2002)", "paragraph_id": "para_595" }, { "text": "(“If the possibility . . . of future revision . . . could make", "paragraph_id": "para_596" }, { "text": "agency action non-final as a matter of law, then it would be", "paragraph_id": "para_597" }, { "text": "hard to imagine when any agency rule . . . would ever be", "paragraph_id": "para_598" }, { "text": "final as a matter of law.”). The breadth of the ongoing", "paragraph_id": "para_599" }, { "text": "agency reorganizations and Reductions in Force (“RIFs”) at", "paragraph_id": "para_600" }, { "text": "issue in the case before us undermines the government’s", "paragraph_id": "para_601" }, { "text": "20 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_602" }, { "text": "contention that the ARRPs are predecisional in a sense that", "paragraph_id": "para_603" }, { "text": "precludes judicial review. On May 16, six days before the", "paragraph_id": "para_604" }, { "text": "district court issued the preliminary injunction, the Solicitor", "paragraph_id": "para_605" }, { "text": "General had represented to the Supreme Court that “about", "paragraph_id": "para_606" }, { "text": "40 RIFs in 17 agencies were in progress.” Stay Application", "paragraph_id": "para_607" }, { "text": "at 29, Trump v. AFGE, No. 24A1106 (U.S. May 16, 2025).", "paragraph_id": "para_608" }, { "text": "See also AFGE, 139 F.4th at 1028 (noting extensive", "paragraph_id": "para_609" }, { "text": "reorganizations and RIFs already underway by late May);", "paragraph_id": "para_610" }, { "text": "AFGE, ---- F.Supp.3d ----, 2025 WL 1482511, at *1 n.1, *5", "paragraph_id": "para_611" }, { "text": "(same). As the district court put it, “[I]f the ARRPs are non-", "paragraph_id": "para_612" }, { "text": "final planning documents that do not commit an agency to", "paragraph_id": "para_613" }, { "text": "take any specific action, pursuant to what, then, are the", "paragraph_id": "para_614" }, { "text": "agencies implementing their large-scale reorganizations and", "paragraph_id": "para_615" }, { "text": "RIFs?” Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 214 at 10.", "paragraph_id": "para_616" }, { "text": "Further, there is little evidence in the record to support", "paragraph_id": "para_617" }, { "text": "the government’s assertion that the ARRPs are deliberative.", "paragraph_id": "para_618" }, { "text": "Deliberative documents “reflect the give-and-take of the", "paragraph_id": "para_619" }, { "text": "consultative process,” and consist of “subjective documents", "paragraph_id": "para_620" }, { "text": "which reflect the personal opinions of the writer rather than", "paragraph_id": "para_621" }, { "text": "the policy of the agency.” Coastal States, 617 F.2d at 866.", "paragraph_id": "para_622" }, { "text": "“Documents which are protected by the privilege are those", "paragraph_id": "para_623" }, { "text": "which would inaccurately reflect or prematurely disclose the", "paragraph_id": "para_624" }, { "text": "views of the agency, suggesting as agency position that", "paragraph_id": "para_625" }, { "text": "which is as yet only a personal position.” Id. (emphasis", "paragraph_id": "para_626" }, { "text": "added). See also Maricopa Audubon Soc. v. U.S. Forest", "paragraph_id": "para_627" }, { "text": "Service, 108 F.3d 1089, 1093 (9th Cir. 1997) (noting that", "paragraph_id": "para_628" }, { "text": "“[w]e have adopted the D.C. Circuit’s definition” of the", "paragraph_id": "para_629" }, { "text": "terms “deliberative process” and “predecisional”).", "paragraph_id": "para_630" }, { "text": "Deliberative documents contain material “so candid or", "paragraph_id": "para_631" }, { "text": "personal in nature that public disclosure is likely in the future", "paragraph_id": "para_632" }, { "text": "to stifle honest and frank communication within the agency.”", "paragraph_id": "para_633" }, { "text": "Coastal States, 617 F.2d at 866. But all available evidence,", "paragraph_id": "para_634" }, { "text": "including the four ARRPs reviewed thus far in camera,", "paragraph_id": "para_635" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 21", "paragraph_id": "para_636" }, { "text": "indicates that the ARRPs represent the considered position", "paragraph_id": "para_637" }, { "text": "of the agency submitted for approval by OMB, and not the", "paragraph_id": "para_638" }, { "text": "personal opinions of an individual.", "paragraph_id": "para_639" }, { "text": "However, we are willing to assume arguendo, as did the", "paragraph_id": "para_640" }, { "text": "district court, that at least some of the ARRPs are", "paragraph_id": "para_641" }, { "text": "predecisional deliberative documents and that the privilege", "paragraph_id": "para_642" }, { "text": "therefore applies. So assuming, we agree with the district", "paragraph_id": "para_643" }, { "text": "court’s conclusion that the privilege is overridden in the", "paragraph_id": "para_644" }, { "text": "circumstances of this case. In determining whether the", "paragraph_id": "para_645" }, { "text": "privilege is overridden, we consider the four factors", "paragraph_id": "para_646" }, { "text": "articulated in Warner: “(1) the relevance of the evidence;", "paragraph_id": "para_647" }, { "text": "(2) the availability of other evidence; (3) the government’s", "paragraph_id": "para_648" }, { "text": "role in the litigation; and (4) the extent to which disclosure", "paragraph_id": "para_649" }, { "text": "would hinder frank and independent discussion regarding", "paragraph_id": "para_650" }, { "text": "contemplated policies and decisions.” 742 F.2d at 1161.", "paragraph_id": "para_651" }, { "text": "The district court faithfully applied these factors in assessing", "paragraph_id": "para_652" }, { "text": "whether the privilege, if applicable, is overcome by the", "paragraph_id": "para_653" }, { "text": "litigant’s “need for the materials and the need for accurate", "paragraph_id": "para_654" }, { "text": "fact-finding.” Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 214 at 7–8 (quoting", "paragraph_id": "para_655" }, { "text": "Warner, 742 F.2d at 1161).", "paragraph_id": "para_656" }, { "text": "The government’s arguments against in camera", "paragraph_id": "para_657" }, { "text": "disclosure do not withstand scrutiny. Regarding the first", "paragraph_id": "para_658" }, { "text": "factor, the government contends that the ARRPs subject to", "paragraph_id": "para_659" }, { "text": "the district court’s discovery order are not relevant to any", "paragraph_id": "para_660" }, { "text": "claims plaintiffs could plausibly assert in the wake of the", "paragraph_id": "para_661" }, { "text": "Supreme Court’s stay order. Pet. 13–14. The government is", "paragraph_id": "para_662" }, { "text": "mistaken. The ARRPs are plainly relevant to the very issue", "paragraph_id": "para_663" }, { "text": "that the Court’s order expressly leaves open. The Court", "paragraph_id": "para_664" }, { "text": "wrote, “We express no view on the legality of any Agency", "paragraph_id": "para_665" }, { "text": "RIF and Reorganization Plan produced or approved pursuant", "paragraph_id": "para_666" }, { "text": "to the Executive Order and Memorandum.” Trump v. AFGE,", "paragraph_id": "para_667" }, { "text": "145 S. Ct. at 2635. That language most obviously pertains", "paragraph_id": "para_668" }, { "text": "to the three claims (Claims IV, VI, and VII) upon which the", "paragraph_id": "para_669" }, { "text": "22 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_670" }, { "text": "district court expressly did not rely in issuing its preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_671" }, { "text": "injunction, and which were not considered by the Supreme", "paragraph_id": "para_672" }, { "text": "Court. For example, Claim IV challenges, inter alia, any", "paragraph_id": "para_673" }, { "text": "OMB and OPM decision approving an ARRP, while Claims", "paragraph_id": "para_674" }, { "text": "VI and VII challenge the “implementation of ARRPs” by", "paragraph_id": "para_675" }, { "text": "named agency defendants as arbitrary and capricious. Dist.", "paragraph_id": "para_676" }, { "text": "Ct. Dkt. No. 100 at 111–15. The ARRPs are plainly relevant", "paragraph_id": "para_677" }, { "text": "to those claims. Further, as we explain below, the ARRPs", "paragraph_id": "para_678" }, { "text": "are also relevant to three of the four claims upon which the", "paragraph_id": "para_679" }, { "text": "district court based its preliminary injunction. Justice", "paragraph_id": "para_680" }, { "text": "Sotomayor specifically noted in her concurrence that since", "paragraph_id": "para_681" }, { "text": "“[t]he plans themselves are not before this Court,” the", "paragraph_id": "para_682" }, { "text": "Court’s order “leaves the District Court free to consider", "paragraph_id": "para_683" }, { "text": "those questions in the first instance.” Trump v. AFGE, 145", "paragraph_id": "para_684" }, { "text": "S. Ct. at 2635 (Sotomayor, J., concurring). It is therefore", "paragraph_id": "para_685" }, { "text": "entirely appropriate for the district court to proceed with", "paragraph_id": "para_686" }, { "text": "discovery of those plans toward an initial determination of", "paragraph_id": "para_687" }, { "text": "their legality.", "paragraph_id": "para_688" }, { "text": "The evidence provided by the ARRPs cannot be obtained", "paragraph_id": "para_689" }, { "text": "elsewhere (second Warner factor); the government is a party", "paragraph_id": "para_690" }, { "text": "to the litigation (third factor); and since the ARRPs do not", "paragraph_id": "para_691" }, { "text": "represent the personal views of individual authors, it is", "paragraph_id": "para_692" }, { "text": "unlikely that “disclosure would hinder frank and", "paragraph_id": "para_693" }, { "text": "independent discussion regarding contemplated policies and", "paragraph_id": "para_694" }, { "text": "decisions” (fourth factor). Warner, 742 F.2d at 1161. The", "paragraph_id": "para_695" }, { "text": "government suggests that “production will have a chilling", "paragraph_id": "para_696" }, { "text": "effect on internal Executive Branch deliberations,” Pet. 2,", "paragraph_id": "para_697" }, { "text": "but it offers no evidentiary support for this claim. Were it", "paragraph_id": "para_698" }, { "text": "true that discovery of the ARRPs would “hinder frank and", "paragraph_id": "para_699" }, { "text": "independent discussion” or otherwise harm the government,", "paragraph_id": "para_700" }, { "text": "we might expect the disclosures already effectuated to have", "paragraph_id": "para_701" }, { "text": "produced such effects. But the government has made no", "paragraph_id": "para_702" }, { "text": "showing of harm resulting from disclosure of the four", "paragraph_id": "para_703" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 23", "paragraph_id": "para_704" }, { "text": "ARRPs already reviewed in camera, nor from the one ARRP", "paragraph_id": "para_705" }, { "text": "already in the public record. See Supp.Add.164–71 (ARRP", "paragraph_id": "para_706" }, { "text": "of National Endowment for the Humanities).", "paragraph_id": "para_707" }, { "text": "The government’s third argument reframes the", "paragraph_id": "para_708" }, { "text": "government’s claim of privilege as a presumption that", "paragraph_id": "para_709" }, { "text": "judicial review of agency action under the Administrative", "paragraph_id": "para_710" }, { "text": "Procedure Act (“APA”) is ordinarily limited to the", "paragraph_id": "para_711" }, { "text": "administrative record. The government contends the ARRPs", "paragraph_id": "para_712" }, { "text": "would not be included in a judicially reviewable record", "paragraph_id": "para_713" }, { "text": "because, as it continues to argue, they are predecisional and", "paragraph_id": "para_714" }, { "text": "deliberative. Besides the reasons already identified for", "paragraph_id": "para_715" }, { "text": "doubting that characterization of the ARRPs, there are", "paragraph_id": "para_716" }, { "text": "further reasons why this line of argument fails. First,", "paragraph_id": "para_717" }, { "text": "plaintiffs challenge approval and implementation of the", "paragraph_id": "para_718" }, { "text": "ARRPs not merely under the APA, but also as exceeding", "paragraph_id": "para_719" }, { "text": "lawful authority and therefore ultra vires. See infra, at 26.", "paragraph_id": "para_720" }, { "text": "Review of an ultra vires challenge would not be limited to", "paragraph_id": "para_721" }, { "text": "an administrative record. Second, this case does not come", "paragraph_id": "para_722" }, { "text": "to us in the posture of an ordinary APA review. There has", "paragraph_id": "para_723" }, { "text": "been no compilation of a conventional administrative record,", "paragraph_id": "para_724" }, { "text": "no notice-and-comment rulemaking, and no issuance of a", "paragraph_id": "para_725" }, { "text": "final rule or adjudication. Instead, massive RIFs and", "paragraph_id": "para_726" }, { "text": "reorganizations have been carried out without anything", "paragraph_id": "para_727" }, { "text": "resembling the normal rulemaking or adjudicatory processes", "paragraph_id": "para_728" }, { "text": "that typically produce a conventional administrative record.", "paragraph_id": "para_729" }, { "text": "Indeed, government counsel acknowledged at oral argument", "paragraph_id": "para_730" }, { "text": "that he was unsure whether “an administrative record has", "paragraph_id": "para_731" }, { "text": "ever really been put together for a RIF.” Oral Argument at", "paragraph_id": "para_732" }, { "text": "21:30. If there have been “departures from settled", "paragraph_id": "para_733" }, { "text": "principles” in this case, cf. Dissent 35, they consist in the", "paragraph_id": "para_734" }, { "text": "sweep of actions undertaken by the government without", "paragraph_id": "para_735" }, { "text": "ordinary processes—actions which the government now", "paragraph_id": "para_736" }, { "text": "seeks to shield from scrutiny by invoking presumptions", "paragraph_id": "para_737" }, { "text": "24 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_738" }, { "text": "ordinarily attendant upon the very processes it has ignored.", "paragraph_id": "para_739" }, { "text": "With this case in its current posture, we see no reason to", "paragraph_id": "para_740" }, { "text": "insist that the district court remain ignorant of documents", "paragraph_id": "para_741" }, { "text": "that may or may not eventually be included in an", "paragraph_id": "para_742" }, { "text": "administrative record.", "paragraph_id": "para_743" }, { "text": "In short, we nowhere find clear error by the district court", "paragraph_id": "para_744" }, { "text": "nor a clear entitlement to relief on the part of the", "paragraph_id": "para_745" }, { "text": "government. Our denial of mandamus accords with the", "paragraph_id": "para_746" }, { "text": "longstanding presumption that district courts have broad", "paragraph_id": "para_747" }, { "text": "latitude to control discovery matters. See Little v. City of", "paragraph_id": "para_748" }, { "text": "Seattle, 863 F.2d 681, 685 (9th Cir. 1988) (noting a district", "paragraph_id": "para_749" }, { "text": "court’s “wide discretion in controlling discovery”); Pizzuto", "paragraph_id": "para_750" }, { "text": "v. Tewalt, 136 F.4th 855, 867 (9th Cir. 2025) (“wide latitude", "paragraph_id": "para_751" }, { "text": "in controlling discovery”). Far from abusing its discretion,", "paragraph_id": "para_752" }, { "text": "the district court has exercised care and restraint in managing", "paragraph_id": "para_753" }, { "text": "discovery, affording “careful consideration” to the", "paragraph_id": "para_754" }, { "text": "government’s assertion of privilege. Karnoski, 926 F.3d at", "paragraph_id": "para_755" }, { "text": "1207; see supra, at 16–17.", "paragraph_id": "para_756" }, { "text": "III. Motion to Remand", "paragraph_id": "para_757" }, { "text": "There are several factors, including developments since", "paragraph_id": "para_758" }, { "text": "the district court’s issuance of its preliminary injunction in", "paragraph_id": "para_759" }, { "text": "May of this year, that bear on the question whether to remand", "paragraph_id": "para_760" }, { "text": "to the district court: the Supreme Court’s stay of the district", "paragraph_id": "para_761" }, { "text": "court’s injunction pending appeal; the Supreme Court’s", "paragraph_id": "para_762" }, { "text": "decision in Trump v. Casa, 145 S. Ct. 2540 (2025); ongoing", "paragraph_id": "para_763" }, { "text": "agency reorganizations since the district court issued its", "paragraph_id": "para_764" }, { "text": "injunction; the continuing pendency of Claims IV, VI and", "paragraph_id": "para_765" }, { "text": "VII in the district court; and our decision today denying a", "paragraph_id": "para_766" }, { "text": "writ of mandamus. Taking all of these factors into account,", "paragraph_id": "para_767" }, { "text": "we conclude that it would serve judicial economy for the", "paragraph_id": "para_768" }, { "text": "district court to assess in the first instance the impact of these", "paragraph_id": "para_769" }, { "text": "developments.", "paragraph_id": "para_770" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 25", "paragraph_id": "para_771" }, { "text": "First, as noted above, the Supreme Court has stayed the", "paragraph_id": "para_772" }, { "text": "district court’s injunction pending review on appeal and", "paragraph_id": "para_773" }, { "text": "certiorari to the Court. Some delay in reaching a decision in", "paragraph_id": "para_774" }, { "text": "this case is thus already guaranteed.", "paragraph_id": "para_775" }, { "text": "Second, remand will afford the district court the", "paragraph_id": "para_776" }, { "text": "opportunity to consider the impact of the Supreme Court’s", "paragraph_id": "para_777" }, { "text": "recent decision in Trump v. Casa. When the district court", "paragraph_id": "para_778" }, { "text": "granted the preliminary injunction, Casa had not yet been", "paragraph_id": "para_779" }, { "text": "decided. Casa severely limits the power of district courts to", "paragraph_id": "para_780" }, { "text": "issue nationwide injunctions. At oral argument before us,", "paragraph_id": "para_781" }, { "text": "government counsel stated the government will challenge", "paragraph_id": "para_782" }, { "text": "the existing preliminary injunction on the ground that, inter", "paragraph_id": "para_783" }, { "text": "alia, it is overly broad under Casa. Oral Argument at 55:31.", "paragraph_id": "para_784" }, { "text": "Remand will allow the district court to tailor any possible", "paragraph_id": "para_785" }, { "text": "injunction in light of Casa.", "paragraph_id": "para_786" }, { "text": "Third, a remand will allow the district court to assess this", "paragraph_id": "para_787" }, { "text": "suit in light of government actions since the issuance of the", "paragraph_id": "para_788" }, { "text": "now-stayed injunction in continuing to dismiss and threaten", "paragraph_id": "para_789" }, { "text": "dismissal of employees. An up-to-date factual record will", "paragraph_id": "para_790" }, { "text": "allow the district court to tailor any possible injunctive relief", "paragraph_id": "para_791" }, { "text": "to current rather than past circumstances.", "paragraph_id": "para_792" }, { "text": "Fourth, remanding to the district court may not delay the", "paragraph_id": "para_793" }, { "text": "ultimate termination of this litigation. The government", "paragraph_id": "para_794" }, { "text": "would prefer to obtain a definitive ruling in its favor sooner", "paragraph_id": "para_795" }, { "text": "rather than later. But, of course, it is not clear at this time", "paragraph_id": "para_796" }, { "text": "that the government will prevail. Further, even if the", "paragraph_id": "para_797" }, { "text": "government does ultimately prevail it may not suffer", "paragraph_id": "para_798" }, { "text": "significant harm from a remand, given that it will be", "paragraph_id": "para_799" }, { "text": "permitted to engage in its challenged behavior while the", "paragraph_id": "para_800" }, { "text": "district court considers the case on remand, and given that", "paragraph_id": "para_801" }, { "text": "the Supreme Court may well grant another stay of any relief", "paragraph_id": "para_802" }, { "text": "that the district court may order. Finally, it is not clear, given", "paragraph_id": "para_803" }, { "text": "26 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_804" }, { "text": "the continued pendency of Claims IV, VI and VII in the", "paragraph_id": "para_805" }, { "text": "district court, that a definitive ruling disposing of the entire", "paragraph_id": "para_806" }, { "text": "litigation will be delayed by a remand of Claims I, II, III and", "paragraph_id": "para_807" }, { "text": "V.", "paragraph_id": "para_808" }, { "text": "Fifth, the district court’s evaluation of the claims we", "paragraph_id": "para_809" }, { "text": "remand today will be assisted by the information that will be", "paragraph_id": "para_810" }, { "text": "available based on discovery of the ARRPs at issue in the", "paragraph_id": "para_811" }, { "text": "mandamus petition. The ARRPs will obviously be useful in", "paragraph_id": "para_812" }, { "text": "evaluating Claims IV, VI and VII, which have remained in", "paragraph_id": "para_813" }, { "text": "the district court. But as plaintiffs’ counsel represented to us", "paragraph_id": "para_814" }, { "text": "at oral argument without contradiction by the government,", "paragraph_id": "para_815" }, { "text": "the ARRPs will also be useful in evaluating remanded", "paragraph_id": "para_816" }, { "text": "Claims II, III and V. Claim II challenges not merely the", "paragraph_id": "para_817" }, { "text": "Executive Order and Memorandum as ultra vires, but also", "paragraph_id": "para_818" }, { "text": "all “actions and orders of OMB, OPM, and DOGE to", "paragraph_id": "para_819" }, { "text": "implement” the Order, “including but not limited to . . . any", "paragraph_id": "para_820" }, { "text": "direction, approval, or requirement imposed with respect to", "paragraph_id": "para_821" }, { "text": "any ARRPs” as exceeding lawful authority, “contrary to", "paragraph_id": "para_822" }, { "text": "statute and thus ultra vires.” Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 100 at 109.", "paragraph_id": "para_823" }, { "text": "Claim III contains similar language challenging “any", "paragraph_id": "para_824" }, { "text": "direction, approval or requirement imposed with respect to", "paragraph_id": "para_825" }, { "text": "any ARRPs” as in violation of the APA. Id. at 111. Claim", "paragraph_id": "para_826" }, { "text": "V encompasses within its challenge “any decision", "paragraph_id": "para_827" }, { "text": "‘approving’ an ARRP.” Id at 113. The ARRPs at issue in", "paragraph_id": "para_828" }, { "text": "the discovery order before us are plainly relevant to these", "paragraph_id": "para_829" }, { "text": "elements of these three claims. A remand to allow the", "paragraph_id": "para_830" }, { "text": "district court to consider these ARRPs, as well as other", "paragraph_id": "para_831" }, { "text": "discovered evidence, is consistent with the Supreme Court’s", "paragraph_id": "para_832" }, { "text": "order, which expressly declined to express a view on the", "paragraph_id": "para_833" }, { "text": "legality of the ARRPs.", "paragraph_id": "para_834" }, { "text": "We express no view on the merits of the current appeal", "paragraph_id": "para_835" }, { "text": "and grant the motion to remand to the district court. We note", "paragraph_id": "para_836" }, { "text": "that on September 9, the district court granted the", "paragraph_id": "para_837" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 27", "paragraph_id": "para_838" }, { "text": "government’s motion to dismiss the allegations against", "paragraph_id": "para_839" }, { "text": "defendant DOGE in Claims II–V of the amended complaint,", "paragraph_id": "para_840" }, { "text": "denied the balance of the motion to dismiss, and granted", "paragraph_id": "para_841" }, { "text": "plaintiffs leave to amend their allegations regarding DOGE.", "paragraph_id": "para_842" }, { "text": "Dist. Ct. Dkt. No. 259 at 11–13. No appeal of the district", "paragraph_id": "para_843" }, { "text": "court’s September 9 order is before us.", "paragraph_id": "para_844" }, { "text": "IV. Conclusion", "paragraph_id": "para_845" }, { "text": "We DENY the petition for writ of mandamus in Trump", "paragraph_id": "para_846" }, { "text": "v. United States District Court for the Northern District of", "paragraph_id": "para_847" }, { "text": "California, No. 25-4476. We VACATE AND REMAND", "paragraph_id": "para_848" }, { "text": "in American Federation of Government Employees v.", "paragraph_id": "para_849" }, { "text": "Trump, No. 25-3293.", "paragraph_id": "para_850" }, { "text": "IKUTA, Circuit Judge, dissenting in part:", "paragraph_id": "para_851" }, { "text": "The majority today does not acknowledge the district", "paragraph_id": "para_852" }, { "text": "court’s clear error in ordering the production of documents", "paragraph_id": "para_853" }, { "text": "that implicate the executive branch’s deliberative processes,", "paragraph_id": "para_854" }, { "text": "even though producing such intra-executive branch", "paragraph_id": "para_855" }, { "text": "dialogues implicates separation of process concerns that", "paragraph_id": "para_856" }, { "text": "require the most “careful consideration” by the judiciary.", "paragraph_id": "para_857" }, { "text": "Karnoski v. Trump, 926 F.3d 1180, 1206–07 (9th Cir. 2019)", "paragraph_id": "para_858" }, { "text": "(per curiam). Because the district court’s production order", "paragraph_id": "para_859" }, { "text": "was clearly erroneous as a matter of law, and the other", "paragraph_id": "para_860" }, { "text": "mandamus factors also favor the government, I respectfully", "paragraph_id": "para_861" }, { "text": "dissent from the decision to deny mandamus relief.", "paragraph_id": "para_862" }, { "text": "I", "paragraph_id": "para_863" }, { "text": "On February 11, 2025, the President issued Executive", "paragraph_id": "para_864" }, { "text": "Order 14210 (the EO) to require heads of federal agencies to", "paragraph_id": "para_865" }, { "text": "“undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in", "paragraph_id": "para_866" }, { "text": "28 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_867" }, { "text": "force (RIFs), consistent with applicable law.” The EO also", "paragraph_id": "para_868" }, { "text": "required the Agency Heads to develop and submit agency", "paragraph_id": "para_869" }, { "text": "reorganization plans to the head of the Office of", "paragraph_id": "para_870" }, { "text": "Management and Budget (OMB). The EO gave the Director", "paragraph_id": "para_871" }, { "text": "of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) authority to", "paragraph_id": "para_872" }, { "text": "“grant exemptions from this order.” To flesh out the EO,", "paragraph_id": "para_873" }, { "text": "OMB and OPM issued a memorandum (the Memorandum)", "paragraph_id": "para_874" }, { "text": "explaining the nature of the Agency RIF and Reorganization", "paragraph_id": "para_875" }, { "text": "Plans (ARRPs) requested in the EO, and how the ARRPs", "paragraph_id": "para_876" }, { "text": "should be submitted for review and approval from OMB and", "paragraph_id": "para_877" }, { "text": "OPM. In effect, the EO and the Memorandum began a", "paragraph_id": "para_878" }, { "text": "dialogue with federal agencies about potential RIFs and", "paragraph_id": "para_879" }, { "text": "reorganizations.", "paragraph_id": "para_880" }, { "text": "In response to the EO and the Memorandum, the", "paragraph_id": "para_881" }, { "text": "agencies provided OMB and OPM with ARRPs describing", "paragraph_id": "para_882" }, { "text": "potential RIFs and reorganizations. According to OMB,", "paragraph_id": "para_883" }, { "text": "neither the ARRPs themselves, nor their review or approval,", "paragraph_id": "para_884" }, { "text": "bound an agency to any particular course of action. At some", "paragraph_id": "para_885" }, { "text": "point, individual agencies proceeded with reductions in", "paragraph_id": "para_886" }, { "text": "force. The record does not reflect whether any agency", "paragraph_id": "para_887" }, { "text": "adopted an ARRP for its final agency decision document.", "paragraph_id": "para_888" }, { "text": "Therefore, the majority errs in holding that the ARRPs are", "paragraph_id": "para_889" }, { "text": "final agency actions as to the RIFs and reorganizations. Maj.", "paragraph_id": "para_890" }, { "text": "Ord. at 18–20.", "paragraph_id": "para_891" }, { "text": "A coalition of labor unions, nonprofit organizations, and", "paragraph_id": "para_892" }, { "text": "municipal governments (collectively, Plaintiffs) brought", "paragraph_id": "para_893" }, { "text": "seven claims against the President, OMB, OPM, and", "paragraph_id": "para_894" }, { "text": "government agencies and their heads (the individual agency", "paragraph_id": "para_895" }, { "text": "defendants) challenging the EO, the Memorandum, and the", "paragraph_id": "para_896" }, { "text": "agencies’ RIFs and reorganizations. Claims I and II, the", "paragraph_id": "para_897" }, { "text": "ultra vires claims, claimed that the President, OMB, and", "paragraph_id": "para_898" }, { "text": "OPM acted outside their scope of authority, while Claims III,", "paragraph_id": "para_899" }, { "text": "IV, and V alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure", "paragraph_id": "para_900" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 29", "paragraph_id": "para_901" }, { "text": "Act (APA). Claims VI and VII alleged that the individual", "paragraph_id": "para_902" }, { "text": "agency defendants violated the APA due to their responses", "paragraph_id": "para_903" }, { "text": "to OMB and OPM, such as by producing ARRPs for review", "paragraph_id": "para_904" }, { "text": "and approval, and by engaging in RIFs and reorganizations.", "paragraph_id": "para_905" }, { "text": "In response to the Plaintiffs’ motion, the district court", "paragraph_id": "para_906" }, { "text": "granted a preliminary injunction that paused “further RIFs", "paragraph_id": "para_907" }, { "text": "and reorganization of the executive branch for the duration", "paragraph_id": "para_908" }, { "text": "of this lawsuit.” The district court held that the Plaintiffs", "paragraph_id": "para_909" }, { "text": "were likely to succeed on the merits of Claims I and II, the", "paragraph_id": "para_910" }, { "text": "ultra vires claims, and Claims III and V, two APA claims", "paragraph_id": "para_911" }, { "text": "against OMB and OPM. The district court reserved ruling", "paragraph_id": "para_912" }, { "text": "on the other claims. The government appealed, and a", "paragraph_id": "para_913" }, { "text": "motions panel of our court denied the government’s motion", "paragraph_id": "para_914" }, { "text": "for a stay pending appeal. AFGE v. Trump (AFGE I), 139", "paragraph_id": "para_915" }, { "text": "F.4th 1020, 1029 (9th Cir. 2025).", "paragraph_id": "para_916" }, { "text": "In July 2025, the Supreme Court stayed the preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_917" }, { "text": "injunction “pending the disposition of the appeal in” the", "paragraph_id": "para_918" }, { "text": "Ninth Circuit “and disposition of a petition for a writ of", "paragraph_id": "para_919" }, { "text": "certiorari, if such a writ is timely sought.” Trump v. AFGE", "paragraph_id": "para_920" }, { "text": "(AFGE II),145 S. Ct. 2635, 2635 (2025). The Supreme", "paragraph_id": "para_921" }, { "text": "Court stated that “the Government is likely to succeed on its", "paragraph_id": "para_922" }, { "text": "argument that the [EO] and Memorandum are lawful,” and", "paragraph_id": "para_923" }, { "text": "that “the other factors bearing on whether to grant a stay are", "paragraph_id": "para_924" }, { "text": "satisfied.” Id. However, the Supreme Court expressed “no", "paragraph_id": "para_925" }, { "text": "view on the legality of any [ARRP] produced or approved", "paragraph_id": "para_926" }, { "text": "pursuant to the [EO] and Memorandum,” because “[t]hose", "paragraph_id": "para_927" }, { "text": "plans [were] not before this Court.” Id.", "paragraph_id": "para_928" }, { "text": "After the preliminary injunction was stayed, the parties", "paragraph_id": "para_929" }, { "text": "proceeded with litigation. In May 2025, the district court", "paragraph_id": "para_930" }, { "text": "ordered the government to produce all of the agencies’", "paragraph_id": "para_931" }, { "text": "ARRPs on an expedited basis. In opposing that initial order,", "paragraph_id": "para_932" }, { "text": "the government argued that the Plaintiffs’ APA claims must", "paragraph_id": "para_933" }, { "text": "30 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_934" }, { "text": "be adjudicated based on the administrative record, and not", "paragraph_id": "para_935" }, { "text": "on extra-record evidence. See 5 U.S.C. § 706 (stating that", "paragraph_id": "para_936" }, { "text": "reviewing courts under the APA “shall review the whole", "paragraph_id": "para_937" }, { "text": "record.”) However, the district court rejected the", "paragraph_id": "para_938" }, { "text": "government’s argument, and on July 18, 2025, the district", "paragraph_id": "para_939" }, { "text": "court again ordered the production of all the ARRPs (the", "paragraph_id": "para_940" }, { "text": "production order) without deciding whether these materials", "paragraph_id": "para_941" }, { "text": "would be part of any administrative record. Instead, the", "paragraph_id": "para_942" }, { "text": "district court stated that there were narrow exceptions to the", "paragraph_id": "para_943" }, { "text": "general rule that courts reviewing an agency action are", "paragraph_id": "para_944" }, { "text": "limited to the administrative record, and it was “premature", "paragraph_id": "para_945" }, { "text": "for the government to assert that such exceptions would", "paragraph_id": "para_946" }, { "text": "never apply here.”1 The district court then “assume[d]", "paragraph_id": "para_947" }, { "text": "without deciding that at least some ARRPs may include pre-", "paragraph_id": "para_948" }, { "text": "decisional and deliberative materials,” such that they would", "paragraph_id": "para_949" }, { "text": "be protected from disclosure by the deliberative process", "paragraph_id": "para_950" }, { "text": "privilege. But, the district court concluded “that the need for", "paragraph_id": "para_951" }, { "text": "accurate fact-finding in this litigation overrides any interest", "paragraph_id": "para_952" }, { "text": "in non-disclosure.”", "paragraph_id": "para_953" }, { "text": "The government petitioned for a writ of mandamus and", "paragraph_id": "para_954" }, { "text": "asked us to “direct[] the district court to vacate its order of", "paragraph_id": "para_955" }, { "text": "July 18, 2025.”", "paragraph_id": "para_956" }, { "text": "II", "paragraph_id": "para_957" }, { "text": "The district court’s order for discovery of the ARRPs,", "paragraph_id": "para_958" }, { "text": "which are pre-termination, pre-decisional documents, is", "paragraph_id": "para_959" }, { "text": "clearly erroneous. A “well-settled principle[] govern[s]", "paragraph_id": "para_960" }, { "text": "judicial review of agency action under the APA.” Blue", "paragraph_id": "para_961" }, { "text": "Mountains Biodiversity Project v. Jeffries, 99 F.4th 438, 444", "paragraph_id": "para_962" }, { "text": "1 After the Supreme Court stayed the district court’s preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_963" }, { "text": "injunction, the district court focused on the relevance of the ARRPs to", "paragraph_id": "para_964" }, { "text": "the remaining APA claims that were not addressed by its preliminary", "paragraph_id": "para_965" }, { "text": "injunction order.", "paragraph_id": "para_966" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 31", "paragraph_id": "para_967" }, { "text": "(9th Cir. 2024). Namely, “the whole record” in an APA", "paragraph_id": "para_968" }, { "text": "action under 5 U.S.C. § 706 is ordinarily ‘the record the", "paragraph_id": "para_969" }, { "text": "agency presents.’” Id. at 444–45 (quoting Fla. Power &", "paragraph_id": "para_970" }, { "text": "Light Co. v. Lorion, 470 U.S. 729, 743–44 (1985)). “Thus,", "paragraph_id": "para_971" }, { "text": "barring clear evidence to the contrary, we presume that an", "paragraph_id": "para_972" }, { "text": "agency properly designated the Administrative Record.” Id.", "paragraph_id": "para_973" }, { "text": "at 445 (citation modified). “[A] court is ordinarily limited to", "paragraph_id": "para_974" }, { "text": "evaluating the agency’s contemporaneous explanation in", "paragraph_id": "para_975" }, { "text": "light of the existing administrative record.” Dep’t of", "paragraph_id": "para_976" }, { "text": "Commerce v. New York, 588 U.S. 752, 780 (2019) (citing", "paragraph_id": "para_977" }, { "text": "Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources", "paragraph_id": "para_978" }, { "text": "Defense Council, Inc., 435 U.S. 519, 549 (1978)). Thus,", "paragraph_id": "para_979" }, { "text": "deliberative documents prepared for the decision-making", "paragraph_id": "para_980" }, { "text": "process are ordinarily not part of the administrative record.", "paragraph_id": "para_981" }, { "text": "Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project, 99 F.4th at 445.", "paragraph_id": "para_982" }, { "text": "Courts may justify extra-record discovery only on a “strong", "paragraph_id": "para_983" }, { "text": "showing of bad faith or improper behavior” by the agency", "paragraph_id": "para_984" }, { "text": "decisionmakers. Dep’t of Commerce, 588 U.S. at 781", "paragraph_id": "para_985" }, { "text": "(citation omitted).2", "paragraph_id": "para_986" }, { "text": "Pre-decisional, deliberative documents are protected by", "paragraph_id": "para_987" }, { "text": "the deliberative process privilege. See FTC v. Warner", "paragraph_id": "para_988" }, { "text": "Commc’ns, Inc., 742 F.2d 1156, 1161 (9th Cir. 1984) (per", "paragraph_id": "para_989" }, { "text": "curiam). This privilege “was developed to promote frank", "paragraph_id": "para_990" }, { "text": "and independent discussion among those responsible for", "paragraph_id": "para_991" }, { "text": "2 The majority claims that judicial review would not be limited to the", "paragraph_id": "para_992" }, { "text": "administrative record because the Plaintiffs have raised ultra vires claims", "paragraph_id": "para_993" }, { "text": "in addition to their APA claims. Maj. Ord. at 23. But the district court", "paragraph_id": "para_994" }, { "text": "did not require the production of the ARRPs to support its analysis of the", "paragraph_id": "para_995" }, { "text": "Plaintiffs’ ultra vires claims. Rather, the district court concluded that the", "paragraph_id": "para_996" }, { "text": "Plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of their ultra vires claims", "paragraph_id": "para_997" }, { "text": "because the President, OMB, and OPM violated separation of powers", "paragraph_id": "para_998" }, { "text": "and therefore exceeded their lawful authority in ordering the agencies to", "paragraph_id": "para_999" }, { "text": "engage in RIFs and reorganizations.", "paragraph_id": "para_1000" }, { "text": "32 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_1001" }, { "text": "making governmental decisions, and also to protect against", "paragraph_id": "para_1002" }, { "text": "premature disclosure of proposed agency policies or", "paragraph_id": "para_1003" }, { "text": "decisions.” Id. (citation modified). We have held that the", "paragraph_id": "para_1004" }, { "text": "deliberative process privilege is applicable if a document", "paragraph_id": "para_1005" }, { "text": "meets two requirements. First, it must be pre-decisional, in", "paragraph_id": "para_1006" }, { "text": "that “it must have been generated before the adoption of an", "paragraph_id": "para_1007" }, { "text": "agency’s policy or decision.” Id. Second, it “must be", "paragraph_id": "para_1008" }, { "text": "deliberative in nature, containing opinions,", "paragraph_id": "para_1009" }, { "text": "recommendations, or advice about agency policies.” Id.; see", "paragraph_id": "para_1010" }, { "text": "also Karnoski, 926 F.3d at 1204 (stating that the deliberative", "paragraph_id": "para_1011" }, { "text": "process privilege protects “‘documents reflecting advisory", "paragraph_id": "para_1012" }, { "text": "opinions, recommendations and deliberations comprising", "paragraph_id": "para_1013" }, { "text": "part of a process by which governmental decisions and", "paragraph_id": "para_1014" }, { "text": "policies are formulated’” (quoting Dep’t of Interior v.", "paragraph_id": "para_1015" }, { "text": "Klamath Water Users Protective Ass’n, 532 U.S. 1, 8", "paragraph_id": "para_1016" }, { "text": "(2001))).3 The ARRPs meet both requirements, as they", "paragraph_id": "para_1017" }, { "text": "provided recommendations for potential RIF and", "paragraph_id": "para_1018" }, { "text": "reorganization plans before the agencies implemented their", "paragraph_id": "para_1019" }, { "text": "final decision.4", "paragraph_id": "para_1020" }, { "text": "3 Contrary to the majority, our cases do not limit the deliberative process", "paragraph_id": "para_1021" }, { "text": "privilege to personal opinions alone. Maj. Ord. at 20–21. Even Coastal", "paragraph_id": "para_1022" }, { "text": "States Gas Corp. v. Dep’t of Energy, the out-of-circuit case on which the", "paragraph_id": "para_1023" }, { "text": "majority relies, lists communications that are “subjective or personal” in", "paragraph_id": "para_1024" }, { "text": "nature as just one example of the types of documents protected by the", "paragraph_id": "para_1025" }, { "text": "deliberative process privilege. 617 F.2d 854, 868 (D.C. Cir. 1980).", "paragraph_id": "para_1026" }, { "text": "4 The deliberative process privilege is equally applicable outside the", "paragraph_id": "para_1027" }, { "text": "APA context. See, e.g., Warner Comm’ns, 742 F.2d at 1161–62", "paragraph_id": "para_1028" }, { "text": "(applying privilege in action to block a proposed joint venture under the", "paragraph_id": "para_1029" }, { "text": "Federal Trade Commission Act); United States v. Fernandez, 231 F.3d", "paragraph_id": "para_1030" }, { "text": "1240, 1246–47 (9th Cir. 2000) (applying privilege to documents related", "paragraph_id": "para_1031" }, { "text": "to government’s request for authorization to pursue death penalty). To", "paragraph_id": "para_1032" }, { "text": "the extent the district court ordered production of the ARRPs to assess", "paragraph_id": "para_1033" }, { "text": "the ultra vires claims, the deliberative process privilege would still apply.", "paragraph_id": "para_1034" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 33", "paragraph_id": "para_1035" }, { "text": "The privilege “although not absolute, require[s] careful", "paragraph_id": "para_1036" }, { "text": "consideration by the judiciary, even when [it has] not been", "paragraph_id": "para_1037" }, { "text": "clearly or persuasively raised by the government.”", "paragraph_id": "para_1038" }, { "text": "Karnoski, 926 F.3d at 1207. Its “unique features” suggest", "paragraph_id": "para_1039" }, { "text": "that, when a district court orders production of such", "paragraph_id": "para_1040" }, { "text": "deliberative documents, “there is no other adequate means", "paragraph_id": "para_1041" }, { "text": "of relief” beyond mandamus. Id. at 1203.", "paragraph_id": "para_1042" }, { "text": "Special considerations inform courts in deciding whether", "paragraph_id": "para_1043" }, { "text": "discovery of such documents is warranted. See Order, U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_1044" }, { "text": "Doge Service v. Ctr. for Responsibility and Ethics in", "paragraph_id": "para_1045" }, { "text": "Washington, No. 24A1122 (U.S. June 6, 2025). Courts must", "paragraph_id": "para_1046" }, { "text": "consider “whether the District Court’s actions constituted an", "paragraph_id": "para_1047" }, { "text": "unwarranted impairment of another branch in the", "paragraph_id": "para_1048" }, { "text": "performance of its constitutional duties.” Cheney v. U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_1049" }, { "text": "Dist. Ct., 542 U.S. 367, 390 (2004). Ordinarily, courts limit", "paragraph_id": "para_1050" }, { "text": "their evaluation to “reflect[] the recognition that further", "paragraph_id": "para_1051" }, { "text": "judicial inquiry into executive motivation represents a", "paragraph_id": "para_1052" }, { "text": "substantial intrusion into the workings of another branch of", "paragraph_id": "para_1053" }, { "text": "Government and should normally be avoided.” Dep’t of", "paragraph_id": "para_1054" }, { "text": "Commerce, 588 U.S. at 780–81 (citation modified).", "paragraph_id": "para_1055" }, { "text": "Here, the district court clearly exceeded the scope of its", "paragraph_id": "para_1056" }, { "text": "authority. Judicial review “is ordinarily limited” to the", "paragraph_id": "para_1057" }, { "text": "administrative record, id. at 780, subject to limited", "paragraph_id": "para_1058" }, { "text": "exceptions.5 Not only did the district court err in failing to", "paragraph_id": "para_1059" }, { "text": "5 The majority claims that there is no conventional administrative record", "paragraph_id": "para_1060" }, { "text": "because the government’s RIFs and reorganizations have been carried", "paragraph_id": "para_1061" }, { "text": "out without the processes that would ordinarily produce such a record.", "paragraph_id": "para_1062" }, { "text": "Maj. Ord. at 23. However, Plaintiffs themselves sought production of", "paragraph_id": "para_1063" }, { "text": "the administrative record in the district court and contend that such a", "paragraph_id": "para_1064" }, { "text": "record should be available. While government counsel noted at oral", "paragraph_id": "para_1065" }, { "text": "argument that he was unsure whether “an administrative record has even", "paragraph_id": "para_1066" }, { "text": "been put together for a RIF,” he did not suggest that such a record does", "paragraph_id": "para_1067" }, { "text": "not exist or could not be compiled.", "paragraph_id": "para_1068" }, { "text": "34 AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP", "paragraph_id": "para_1069" }, { "text": "decide whether the ARRPs were part of such record, but it", "paragraph_id": "para_1070" }, { "text": "further erred by failing to decide whether an exception to that", "paragraph_id": "para_1071" }, { "text": "general rule was applicable, and by putting the burden on the", "paragraph_id": "para_1072" }, { "text": "government to show that an exception to the rule did not", "paragraph_id": "para_1073" }, { "text": "apply.6 Rather, to justify an order compelling extra-record", "paragraph_id": "para_1074" }, { "text": "discovery, the district court must find that a narrow", "paragraph_id": "para_1075" }, { "text": "exception applies, not merely assert that exceptions are", "paragraph_id": "para_1076" }, { "text": "possible. See Dep’t of Commerce, 588 U.S. at 781; Blue", "paragraph_id": "para_1077" }, { "text": "Mountains Biodiversity Project, 99 F.4th at 445", "paragraph_id": "para_1078" }, { "text": "(“Deliberative documents, which are prepared to aid the", "paragraph_id": "para_1079" }, { "text": "decision-maker in arriving at a decision, are ordinarily not", "paragraph_id": "para_1080" }, { "text": "relevant to” assessing the lawfulness of agency action)", "paragraph_id": "para_1081" }, { "text": "(citations omitted).", "paragraph_id": "para_1082" }, { "text": "Furthermore, the district court clearly erred by failing to", "paragraph_id": "para_1083" }, { "text": "address separation of powers concerns. Generally, courts", "paragraph_id": "para_1084" }, { "text": "may not intrude “into the workings of another branch of", "paragraph_id": "para_1085" }, { "text": "Government.” Dep’t of Commerce, 588 U.S. at 780-81.", "paragraph_id": "para_1086" }, { "text": "Courts “may not reject an agency’s stated reason for acting", "paragraph_id": "para_1087" }, { "text": "simply because the agency might also have had other", "paragraph_id": "para_1088" }, { "text": "unstated reasons,” and they “may not set aside an agency’s", "paragraph_id": "para_1089" }, { "text": "policymaking decision solely because it might have been", "paragraph_id": "para_1090" }, { "text": ". . . prompted by an Administration’s priorities.” Id.", "paragraph_id": "para_1091" }, { "text": "Inquiring into the “mental processes of administrative", "paragraph_id": "para_1092" }, { "text": "decisionmakers” requires, at minimum, “a strong showing of", "paragraph_id": "para_1093" }, { "text": "bad faith or improper behavior.” Id. (citation modified).", "paragraph_id": "para_1094" }, { "text": "This concern is especially strong for communications within", "paragraph_id": "para_1095" }, { "text": "the Executive Branch. See, e.g., Order, U.S. Doge Service;", "paragraph_id": "para_1096" }, { "text": "Cheney, 542 U.S. at 385. The district court order implicates", "paragraph_id": "para_1097" }, { "text": "6 The majority errs by determining, based on its own fact-finding, that", "paragraph_id": "para_1098" }, { "text": "the ARRPs would be part of any administrative record and may be", "paragraph_id": "para_1099" }, { "text": "disclosed to the district court and plaintiffs’ counsel. Maj. Ord. at 20–", "paragraph_id": "para_1100" }, { "text": "21, 23. Nothing in the record supports this determination.", "paragraph_id": "para_1101" }, { "text": "AMERICAN FED’N OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES V. TRUMP 35", "paragraph_id": "para_1102" }, { "text": "these concerns by compelling disclosure of pre-decisional,", "paragraph_id": "para_1103" }, { "text": "deliberative communications within the Executive Branch.", "paragraph_id": "para_1104" }, { "text": "But, instead of addressing the separation of powers, the", "paragraph_id": "para_1105" }, { "text": "district court considered only the possible damage to the", "paragraph_id": "para_1106" }, { "text": "government’s employee recruitment, retention, and labor", "paragraph_id": "para_1107" }, { "text": "relations. The district court did not consider whether its", "paragraph_id": "para_1108" }, { "text": "order requiring “extra-record discovery” would implicate", "paragraph_id": "para_1109" }, { "text": "the separation of powers concerns that the Supreme Court", "paragraph_id": "para_1110" }, { "text": "identified in Department of Commerce. 588 U.S. at 781–82.", "paragraph_id": "para_1111" }, { "text": "Thus, the district court “should not have ordered extra-", "paragraph_id": "para_1112" }, { "text": "record discovery when it did,” id., and its production order", "paragraph_id": "para_1113" }, { "text": "was clearly erroneous.", "paragraph_id": "para_1114" }, { "text": "These departures from settled principles establish that", "paragraph_id": "para_1115" }, { "text": "the district court’s production order is clearly erroneous as a", "paragraph_id": "para_1116" }, { "text": "matter of law.7 To conclude otherwise, the majority assumes", "paragraph_id": "para_1117" }, { "text": "that the ARRPs are final agency actions and then", "paragraph_id": "para_1118" }, { "text": "characterizes the issues involved as ordinary “discovery", "paragraph_id": "para_1119" }, { "text": "matters.” Maj. Ord. at 24. Therefore, I respectfully dissent", "paragraph_id": "para_1120" }, { "text": "from the denial of the government’s petition for a writ of", "paragraph_id": "para_1121" }, { "text": "mandamus.", "paragraph_id": "para_1122" }, { "text": "7 The other mandamus factors are also satisfied here. The district court’s", "paragraph_id": "para_1123" }, { "text": "order is not directly appealable, as it is neither a final order nor an", "paragraph_id": "para_1124" }, { "text": "interlocutory order granting an injunction. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1291,", "paragraph_id": "para_1125" }, { "text": "1292(a). The government would be harmed from the disclosure of", "paragraph_id": "para_1126" }, { "text": "privileged deliberations to the district court and plaintiffs’ counsel,", "paragraph_id": "para_1127" }, { "text": "which cannot be reversed or rectified by an appeal from final judgment.", "paragraph_id": "para_1128" }, { "text": "See Karnoski, 926 F.3d at 1203. 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