On Wednesday, a federal judge will temporarily suspend the government's efforts to temporarily terminate foreign aid contracts and grants before President Trump's inauguration amid the fight over the future of foreign aid in Washington. I ordered him to do so.
The order also temporarily prevents the Trump administration from issuing or enforceing an end, halt, or halt order in connection with the federal foreign aid awards that existed before Trump returned to the White House. Masu.
However, the order does not prohibit Trump from enforcing an executive order that freezes foreign aid after a 90-day review. Litigation against the government.
“The court does not believe it is appropriate or necessary to prohibit the president or the executive order itself.” Written District Judge Amir Ali with a 15-page order.
The Trump administration revealed in court documents Wednesday evening that it had been cancelled Over 200 contracts It was issued by USAID from Tuesday morning. Those affected include celebrities like Deloitte, the World Health Organization, the International Migration Agency and multiple contractors who say the government is owing millions of dollars on unpaid bills.
Former USAID administrator Andrew Nazios has shown that the cut is dramatic and told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday that he and his team were in the process of former President George W. Bush. said he only cut 80 programs in a month.
USAID, which manages billions of dollars of foreign aid each year, faces fierce attacks and is systematically dismantled by the efficiency of Elon Musk and his government.
The attacks spill over the larger international support industry.
Several groups that sued the Trump administration last week claimed they were collectively waiting for hundreds of millions of dollars on unpaid bills from the government.
Two other nonprofit organizations I filed another complaint This week, the executive order violated the separation of power and caused irreparable harm to businesses that rely heavily on USAID funds, including layoffs, pay cuts and workplace suspensions.
The contractors and nonprofits have asked the judge to temporarily block the implementation of Trump's orders altogether.
“We understand that all of that acts are toxic nuts and that they flow from actions to implement the executive order and the defendant's order,” said Nicholas Sunthorne, a civil attorney representing some of the plaintiffs, on Wednesday. He said this at the emergency hearing.
Sansone calls the implementation of the executive order “incredibly opaque and confusing” and calls for the closure of programs that can use frozen funds to force contractors to go out of business.
“My clients have lost all or essentially all access to capital,” he said. “Their businesses are closed, they have employees closed, they have been eating, they're rotten, their medical supplies have expired, and community relations that took decades have been ruined.”
group Requested an emergency hearing After receiving the administration reported that it is “accelerating the termination of grant agreements and suspensions for USAID and State Department partners.” […] And it could be that, specifically, in response to this lawsuit and pending claims. ”
Justice Department lawyer Eric Hamilton alleges that contractors and nonprofits tried to file lawsuits without nuance using the case as a “first-qualified vehicle,” some of the plaintiffs. Noting that the department is requesting exemptions from the state, the department aims to create exceptions critical to the rules.
He also said the foreign aid in question lies under Trump's authority to determine foreign policy.
“The President or his subordinates, and the State Department or USAID, have decided that there is no longer anything that could have been part of the previous US foreign policy,” Hamilton said.
However, contractors and nonprofits say that the government does not provide meaningful guidance on exemptions, and even if the exemption is granted, the necessary funds have not been released, and agency contacts provide guidance. He said he couldn't.
Another federal judge, US District Judge Carl Nichols, said the government has placed hundreds of USAID employees on administrative leave, reminiscing many posts around the world last Friday as part of another lawsuit. was temporarily blocked.
That “very limited” doesn't touch on contractors like contractors, such as contractors who may face demolition of USAID.
Nichols extended the order until February 21 on Thursday, determining whether broader restrictions should be imposed while the lawsuit is ongoing.
