The Justice Department’s emergency appeal to the high court said U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston exceeded his authority last month when he issued a preliminary injunction reversing the layoffs of nearly 1,400 people and putting the broader plan on hold.

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to give the go-ahead to carry out a plan to fire almost 40 percent of the Education Department’s workforce. In an emergency appeal filed Friday morning,

In an emergency appeal, the Justice Department argued that US District Judge Myong Joun in Boston had overstepped his authority by issuing a preliminary injunction last month.