The courts are poised to tackle broad separation-of-powers arguments against the Trump administration’s historic cuts to the federal workforce, after a federal judge said the president likely violated the US Constitution.

Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco said President Donald Trump and his administration failed to get approval from Congress to initiate the cuts, which is required by the constitution.

A federal judge ordered a two-week pause, writing that a president must enlist the help of Congress “to make large-scale overhauls of federal agencies.”