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A federal judge ruled Trump violated federal law last month in dismissing the chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which safeguards employees’ rights to organize unions and prevents unfair labor practices.

It’s another setback for Trump’s goal of expanding presidential power over independent federal agencies that Congress designed to operate without direct control from the White House. However, Thursday’s ruling increases the likelihood that challenges to Trump’s dismissals will continue to go before the Supreme Court.

D.C. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ruled the Trump administration violated the 1935 National Labor Relations Act by firing NLRB Chair Gwynne Wilcox without cause. The law states that a member “may be removed by the President, upon notice and hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause.”

When Wilcox was removed, there were two NLRB seats already vacant, meaning Trump had the opportunity to nominate two officials and return the board to a Republican majority.

After Wilcox’s dismissal, the NLRB was left with two board members — one short of the three-member quorum that’s needed to take formal actions, like arbitrate disagreements between employees and employers or resolve contested union elections.