Trump administration officials have defended the mass dismissals, saying they are overdue and necessary to make the department leaner and more efficient. Among the employees laid off are more than 100 people who worked in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, which is self-funded from passport and visa fees.

President Donald Trump's administration has told a federal judge that it cannot be ordered to disclose federal agencies' reorganization and mass layoff plans as part of a lawsuit seeking to block them from being implemented.

With the change, the Trump administration has also backed away from a signature effort to stay ahead of China in the A.I. race. The U.S. government had been concerned that the Chinese military could use A.I. chips to coordinate attacks and develop weapons and had also wanted to preserve the U.S. lead in developing A.I. systems.

If California's legal challenge can't stop the Trump administration from withholding funds, the Education Department said over 100 employees could be affected.

Ohio and other states are navigating changes at the U.S. Department of Education, which is continuing with layoffs and has announced it's frozen funding that was expected July 1.

The Trump administration asked the justices to set aside an injunction blocking its layoffs of 1,400 Education Department employees.

Other agencies are moving forward with RIFs and terminations, but official tells federal court some plans have changed.

Cleveland is bracing for a potential $28 million shortfall in federal funding that could devastate the community development department and a dozen neighborhood nonprofits.