Here’s a question submitted by an Associated Press reader: Is it legal to fire furloughed federal workers during a shutdown? Labor unions have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming the threat of mass firings during a shutdown is illegal. The Office of Management and Budget recently suggested that agencies consider layoffs for unfunded programs not aligned with the president's priorities, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said layoffs are imminent. Federal statutes require a 60-day notice for reductions in force. Some Democrats, including Rep. James Walkinshaw, have called the plans an "illegal power grab."