Judge to pause Trump administration effort to gut USAID's workforce by thousands

[Wicked Blue]

Source: NBC

A federal judge on Friday said he will pause a midnight deadline for the U.S. Agency for International Development to be stripped down to a few hundred workers from a workforce of more than 5,000.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols made the announcement after a hearing at a federal courthouse in Washington D.C.

The American Foreign Service Association, a union representing 1,800 foreign service officers working for USAID, and the American Federation of Government Employees sued the Trump administration Thursday after the administration said earlier this week that thousands of USAID employees would be placed on administrative leave starting at 11:59 p.m. Friday as part of a broad maneuver by President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to start reshaping the federal government.

The groups had asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction directing the administration to halt the shutdown, alleging that efforts to dissolve the foreign assistance agency “have generated a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly halting the crucial work of USAID employees, grantees, and contractors

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/judge-pause-trump-administration-effort-gut-usaids-workforce-thousands-rcna191280

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from placing 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave

Politics
Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from placing 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Updated 5:03 PM EST, February 7, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from placing 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, sided with two federal employee associations in agreeing to a pause in plans to put the employees on paid leave as of midnight Friday.

The workers associations argue that Trump lacks the authority for his swift dismantling of a six-decade-old aid agency enshrined in congressional legislation.

“CLOSE IT DOWN,” Trump said Friday on social media of USAID. ... Crews used duct tape to block out the agency’s name on a sign outside its Washington headquarters Friday, and a flag was taken down. Someone placed a bouquet of flowers outside the door.

{snip}

[angrychair]

2. Not sure these court orders matter

Just don't think they matter anymore. Don't think he is listening to them.

[Bluetus]

3. It isn't just that this creates a humanitarian crisis.

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2025, 12:39 PM - Edit history (1)

It is F-ing ILLEGAL. That's all the court has to look at. Congress has established this agency and appropriated funds to it. The Executive branch has no authority to impound the funds. And I am sure the workers are protected by many laws that Musk is choosing to ignore.

These cases need to be pursued on the basis of rule of law. That's what judges know and are sworn to uphold. Don't get into emotional side issues. The law is on our side.

[BarbD]

4. Two things: The order is temporary and...

Musk is ignoring the law. We need to make a LOT of NOISE!