Judge stops USAID layoffs amid backlash from government workers, unions

A judge has temporarily put a halt on the Trump administration’s attempt to downsize the US Agency for International Development (USAID), making it so that approximately 2,700 employees who were placed on leave can return to work.

US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, issued the order on Friday in response to a lawsuit filed by the largest US government workers' union and an association of foreign service employees. The unions argued that the administration’s actions overstepped executive authority and caused undue harm to USAID personnel.

Nichols' ruling, which remains in effect until February 14, prevents the administration from placing an additional 2,200 USAID employees on paid leave starting Saturday and reinstates 500 workers who had already been furloughed. It also blocks the administration from moving USAID humanitarian workers stationed overseas.  

The judge noted in his order that the unions had presented a "strong showing of irreparable harm" if the court did not intervene. However, Nichols declined to grant other union requests, such as reopening USAID offices and restoring funding for agency grants and contracts. A hearing scheduled for Wednesday will determine whether a longer-term injunction will be put in place.  

The Trump administration announced last week that only 611 essential employees would remain at the agency, down from its global workforce of over 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, an attorney representing the unions, said.

Brett Shumate, a Justice Department official, defended the administration’s decision and said that the plan involved placing 2,200 employees on paid leave, with 500 already affected: "The president has decided there is corruption and fraud at USAID," Shumate told the court.  

In response to the halt, Trump took to Truth Social and called out USAID for its rampant corruption and financial mismanagement. The president said that corruption within USAID "IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!"  

The crackdown on USAID comes after Trump’s executive order on January 20, just hours after his second inauguration, that paused all US foreign aid to execute his "America First" policy. The order led the State Department to issue global stop-work directives, freezing nearly all foreign aid programs except for emergency food assistance.