Federal judge ordered a temporary block on plans on Friday Trump administration Put 2,200 employees of the US International Development Agency on leave.
American District Judge Carl Nichols, Trump’s named, also agreed to block a command that would only give 30 days for thousands of foreign workers USAID, the administration wanted to put on a sudden administrative leave to move their families to the US in the Government of the cost.
Both actions of the administration would present workers and their families with unnecessary risk and costs, the judge said.
It comes as president Donald Trump and Elon muskwhich runs the Government Efficiency Department seeks to disassemble the agency.
Top DEM strategists warn that the funding of USAIDs ‘trap’ for the party
Demonstrators and legislators gather against President Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk while they are impaired by the Federal Government, including the disassembly of the US International Development Agency at Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, February 5, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Nichols noted that employees living abroad said that the management had cut off some workers from the Government E -Mail and other communication systems needed to reach the US government in the case of health or security situations.
USAID performers in various regions, including the Middle East, even reported that the “panic buttons” buttons removed from their phones or disabled when the administration suddenly put them on leave.
“Administrative leave in Syria is not the same as administrative leave in Bethesda,” the judge said.
Employee of the US International Development Agency (USAID) who wished to remain an anonymous protest outside the USAID headquarters on February 3, 2025. In Washington, DC (Getty Images)
The judge also pointed out workers who cite the difficulties that would result from a 30-day timeline to return to the US, including that they did not have a home in the US after a decade abroad and would be forced to withdraw children with special needs outside school in the middle of the school year.
Nichols has ordered 500 USAID employees that the administration has already put on leave.
But The judge refused The request of two federal employees’ associations to approve the temporary block of freezing financing in the administration that has extinguished the agency and its work, waiting for more hearing on a worker lawsuit.
The American flag flying alone beside the empty flag that had previously had a USAID flag was shown in a reflection of the window that had previously had a sign and seal of USAIDs, on Friday, February 7, 2025. (AP)
At the hearing earlier on Friday, Nichols emphasized that his command to stop the administration’s actions is not to decide on the request of an employee to block the efforts of the administration to quickly destroy the agency.
“Close it,” Trump said about Social truth, referring to USAID, on the eve of the judge’s verdict.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
