Federal judge late Friday Temporarily blocked The Trump administration's plan is to place thousands of US International Development (USAID) employees on leave in the middle of the night.
The union representing government officials has sued the shutdown of government operations and to resume the flow of foreign aid frozen by President Trump.
Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump during his first term, By the end of the day on February 14th, the government had banned approximately 2,200 USAID employees from placing them on administrative leave or evacuating them from the host country.
Nichols also said that USAID employees currently on administrative leave (approximately 500 by government estimate) must be revived until that day and returned “full access” to email, payments and security notification systems .
The judge had scheduled a preliminary injunction hearing on February 12th.
The US Foreign Affairs Association and the U.S. Government Employee League called the Trump administration's efforts “a continuous and illegal scheme to strive for,” and USAID employees moved to courts to stop plans soon. If not, they will face impending injuries.
“This is not something the president can do unilaterally,” Carla Gilbride, a lawyer representing the union, told the judge during a hearing Friday.
Trump and his allies, namely Elon Musk and his government efficiency (DOGE), launched a full attack on agents over the weekend, blocking employees from internal systems and emails, and disrupting office buildings. And I remembered thousands of employees. The recent US.
Government lawyer Brett Schmate called for the decision to leave employees other than “HR actions” that allow employees to seek legal relief after being affected through different channels.
Around 600 “required personnel” were set to stay full-time, but if the judge did not block the order, about 2,700 were placed on administrative leave.
“That's what's going on here. He refers to the thousands of employees affected and emphasizes that they will continue to be paid, and that's just a number,” he says. Ta.
The judge opposed the concept at his order.
“The government argued that putting employees on paid administrative leave was a yard varieties HR action that was not suitable for court intervention,” Nichols wrote. “However, managed leave in Syria is not the same as managed leave in Bethesda. Simply being paid cannot change that fact.”
Several anonymous USAID employees filed a declaration to the court detailing the precarious situation.
One woman, It's called Beth Doesaid she is 32 weeks pregnant and that the closure could disrupt her birth plans.
Another woman, Called Carol Doesaid she was supposed to lose tens of thousands of dollars, and the “constant barrage” of late-night emails – many rog-likes to her “risqué emotional pain.” He said it caused it.
And the man, Considered Eric Doesaid he and his children would remain homeless as the plans proceed.
“This experience has deteriorated, dehumanized and traumatized for my family,” wrote Eric Daw, a 15-year foreign services officer, in a statement.
By suddenly stopping Usaid's work and pulling out workers, there is also the risk of “serious harm and humanitarian genocide,” Gilbride said.
Because USAID is an independent body established by Congress, lawmakers and legal experts argued that the Trump administration's actions were illegal and unconstitutional, but Trump has filed fraud allegations at the agency to justify the overhaul. It's doubled.
“If you look at USAID, everything is fraudulent. It's rarely used very often, Trump told reporters on Friday.
Musk has hammed USAID on social platform X throughout the week, calling its agents “beyond repairs” and “balls of worms.”
Founded in 1961, USAID provides humanitarian and global health and development support around the world. According to the Congressional Institute (CRS), the Institute of Congress, more than 10,000 people worked in agencies, with two thirds of them outside the United States.
At the heart of the legal challenge is whether the administrative department can unilaterally destroy independent institutions established and funded by the legislative department.
Critics argue that the USAID could be revoked by one because it was established by an executive order, but Congress passed a law codified agency in 1998. Monday analysis from CRSwhich said Trump's actions raises “many questions” to the legislative department.
“These include whether the president has the authority to abolish an agency, whether the president can restructure an agency, and what will happen to USAID resources if such measures are implemented. ”, the analysis states.
Republican lawmakers were mostly silent or lined up. The GOP-led Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committee chairs both say they support the president's plan to reform and restructure the institution.
Meanwhile, Democrats have vowed to fight in Congress, courts and in press.
“You may be rooting for this act by Trump and Musk, and you may just be afraid of Trump and Musk, but let's be clear. They are bypassing you too, and America People hold you accountable,” Rep. Stanton (D-Ariz.), told a Republican colleague at a rally outside the Capitol on Wednesday.
“This will not stop until Congressional lawmakers on either side of the aisle stand up and remind Trump that we are an equal branch of the government, so we need to restore checks and balance in this country. ”
Updated at 11:09pm on EST
