Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has signed onto a 22 state coalition brief to support President Donald Trump’s federal employee buyout program.

On Jan. 28, it was reported that the White House sent out a memo offering to buyout federal employees through a buyout program also referred to as the “Fork Directive.”

The employees, which constitute about 2 million people, were asked to make a determination by Feb. 6 and would remain eligible to continue being paid until September.

However, labor unions sued to challenge the “unlawful” offer and a federal judge ruled to block the buyout plan.

The 22 Republican state attorneys general filed a brief Sunday in opposition to a temporary restraining order in the case.

The 21 other states included in the brief besides Alabama are Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia

The brief argues that the restraining order should be denied because Trump has executive powers that give him authority over the federal workforce and it is the will of most Americans since he was elected president.

“The American people elected a president who repeatedly made clear his desire for a more efficient, smaller government,” the brief argues. “The Fork Directive is consistent with those desires. Thus, when weighing the equitable factors, the public interest weighs strongly against Plaintiffs’ requested relief.”

On Monday, U.S. District Judge George O’Toole ruled to maintain a block of the buyout plan as he considers the case.

The buyout is part of a plan by the Trump administration to drastically cut back on federal government spending and overhaul the workforce.

“This directive is a vital step toward restoring accountability and efficiency in our federal government. President Trump has the clear constitutional authority to manage the federal workforce, and the response from federal employees accepting this offer shows its necessity,” Marshall said. “The American people have demanded a leaner, more effective government, and we stand firmly in defense of this directive to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly.”

A White House official said that over 65,000 employees had already agreed to the offer by Feb. 6 but that has not been independently verified, according to Reuters.

Unions also contend that Trump’s administration cannot be trusted to uphold their end of the offer as current spending laws expire on March 14.