A DC federal judge on Thursday sided with USAID workers and granted their demand to extend a restraining order that would prevent the Trump administration from effectively shutting down foreign aid agencies.
Trump's appointee, US District Judge Carl Nichols, plans to issue a final decision on February 21 on demand to block President Donald Trump's actions, extending the temporary restraining order for a week. I stated.
His new order orders the government to revive USAID employees who have taken administrative leave, and prohibits the Trump administration from implementing new administrative leave for USAID employees.
Thursday's hearing centered around the level of “irreparable harm” allegedly claimed to Trump's enforcement actions in court. Nichols asked the plaintiff's attorney for detailed questions regarding the impact of the suspension work order in which virtually all USAID employees were placed on leave.
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Flags other than the US Organization for International Development (USAID) headquarters will be seen in Washington, DC on February 3, 2025. (Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Carla Gilbride, who represents the US Foreign Office and the U.S. Government Employees, told the judge that USAID employees have been harmed both with their own safety concerns and concerns about their well-being.
“These are not some isolated cases. It's an unprecedented demolition of an agency created in Congress,” she said. The plaintiffs “have been harmed by unconstitutional actions… this is a coordinated, unconstitutional effort to dismantle the institution.”
Meanwhile, Eric Hamilton, a Justice Department lawyer, told Nichols that the USAID complaint is a matter of “personnel” and was handled through the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) appeal process, not through the federal court system. He said he insisted that it should be.
Hamilton also pushed back allegations of “irreparable harm” and told Nichols that the government is “committed to their safety.”
“98% of those who took administrative leave were in the US, and the rest were in developed countries like the UK,” Hamilton said.
He pointed to a Wednesday night ruling from US District Judge George O'Toole in Massachusetts, and resigned from the Trump administration's postponed resignation program (collectively, “Fork in the Road”). (known as the offer) claimed that the behavior was similar.
Last week, Nichols granted a request for US international development employees to temporarily block the Trump administration's orders. Soil at government cost.
The order also temporarily revived around 500 employees placed on administrative leave by Trump.
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Nichols said in his ruling last week that aside from court intervention, the sudden order would cause “irreparable harm” to employees affected by the withdrawal order.
He suspended Trump administration plans until Friday, February 14th. Nichols said he would allow “quickly” arguments to help the court determine the legality of the action.
