Saturday, February 8, 2025 - A US judge on Friday said he would pause plans to place 2,200 US Agency for International Development employees on leave, as part of a temporary limited order blocking the Trump administration from taking some steps to dismantle the agency.
District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington, who was nominated by
President Donald Trump during his first term, announced the decision at a
hearing on a lawsuit from the largest US government workers’ union and an
association of foreign service workers, who sued to stop the administration’s
efforts to close the agency.
According to Nichols, the written ruling would be issued later on
Friday.
He did not seem inclined to grant other requests from the unions to
reopen USAID buildings and restore funding for agency grants and contracts.
The Trump administration in a notice sent to the foreign aid agency’s
workers on Thursday said it will keep 611 essential workers on board at USAID
out of a worldwide workforce that totals more than 10,000.
“The major reduction in force, as well as the closure of offices, the
forced relocation of these individuals were all done in excess of the
executive’s authority in violation of the separation of powers,” Karla
Gilbride, a lawyer for the unions, said at the hearing.
A Justice Department official, Brett Shumate, told Nichols that no fewer
than 2,200 USAID employees would be put on paid leave under the
administration’s plans, adding that at least 500 had already been placed on
leave.
“The president has decided there is corruption and fraud at USAID,”
Shumate said.
However, the judge said his order would prevent those 2,200 employees
from being immediately placed on administrative leave and would also pause the
relocation of certain humanitarian workers stationed outside the United States.
Trump in a post on Truth Social on Friday accused USAID of corruption
and spending money fraudulently.
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