Judge Temporarily Thwarts Administration's Efforts to Dismantle USAID

A U.S. District Court judge in Washington has issued a temporary order that allows several thousand USAID employees, who were recently placed on leave by the Trump administration, to resume work. The decision was made after petitions by the largest government workers’ union and a foreign service association, who argued that the administration’s plan to dismantle critical components of USAID would cause irreversible damage.

The judge’s ruling, effective until February 14, specifically stops the planned furlough of approximately 2,200 employees scheduled to begin on Saturday, and it reinstates about 500 government workers who had already been put on leave. Additionally, the order prevents the relocation of USAID humanitarian workers who are currently stationed in other countries, in order to maintain the agency’s global operations.

At a recent court hearing, the unions emphasized that without judicial intervention, the agency would suffer irreparable harm from the drastic staffing and office closures. Although the judge did not grant requests to reopen the agency’s buildings or restore its grant and contract funding, he indicated that a longer-term halt might be considered at an upcoming hearing.

Officials from both the Justice Department and the Trump administration defended the decision by citing concerns over alleged corruption and fraud within USAID. Despite these claims, critics have highlighted the chaotic impact on humanitarian efforts worldwide, noting that USAID plays a crucial role in distributing billions of dollars in aid for health, human rights, and environmental security initiatives.