The pause is limited to certain states while the case proceeds, narrowing the scope of an earlier order that had paused firings nationwide and led to the reinstatement of thousands of federal employees.

A federal judge on Tuesday said the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump cannot quickly fire thousands of probationary federal workers in 19 states and Washington, D.C., narrowing an earlier nationwide ruling.

A federal judge Tuesday indefinitely barred the Trump administration from terminating thousands of probationary employees, but he declined to extend his order nationwide. U.S. District Judge James Bredar previously ordered officials to temporarily reinstate probationary employees fired at 18 agencies,