Judge Blocks Trump from Placing Thousands of USAID Workers on Leave

US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of two government employee associations, which argued that the directives subjected aid and development workers overseas to undue hardship and risk.

Nichols cited testimonies from USAID employees, who claimed the administration’s push to dismantle the agency had cut them off from crucial means of contacting the US government in case of health or security emergencies.

“Administrative leave in Syria is not the same as administrative leave in Bethesda,” Nichols wrote in his order.

However, the judge declined to temporarily halt the Trump administration’s funding freeze on USAID, which has effectively shut down the six-decade-old agency. He emphasized that his ruling was not a broader decision on the lawsuit seeking to reverse the administration’s rapid dismantling of the agency.

Before the ruling, Trump reiterated his stance on USAID in a social media post, stating, “CLOSE IT DOWN.”

The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees contend that Trump lacks the authority to dismantle USAID without congressional approval. Democratic lawmakers have echoed this argument.

As the administration moved swiftly to erase USAID’s presence, workers in Washington removed the agency’s name from its headquarters, covered signage with duct tape, and took down USAID flags. A bouquet of flowers was placed outside the building’s entrance.

The administration, in collaboration with billionaire Elon Musk—who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency—has targeted USAID in a sweeping effort to reduce federal government programs. Officials have halted nearly all agency funding, locked staff out of systems, and placed employees on leave or furlough. Democratic lawmakers allege that USAID’s computer servers have also been removed.

Karla Gilbride, an attorney representing the employee associations, described the situation as “a full-scale gutting of virtually all the personnel of an entire agency.”

Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate defended the administration’s actions, asserting that the government had the legal authority to place agency workers on leave. “The government does this across the board every day,” he said. “That’s what’s happening here. It’s just a large number.”

The ruling marks another legal setback for the Trump administration, which has also faced judicial blocks on policies aimed at incentivizing federal worker resignations and ending birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants.

On Friday, USAID officials refuted claims by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that essential humanitarian programs were receiving waivers to continue funding. They stated that no such exemptions had been granted, leaving programs such as a $450 million US-grown food supply—intended to feed 36 million people—unfunded. Additionally, water supplies for 1.6 million displaced people in Sudan’s Darfur region were in jeopardy due to a lack of fuel for water pumps.

The judge’s order protects 2,200 USAID employees from immediate leave, but the status of thousands of others—who have been laid off, furloughed, or put on leave—remains unclear. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans have proposed shifting a reduced number of aid programs under the State Department’s jurisdiction.

Within the State Department, employees fear mass layoffs following the administration’s deadline for voluntary resignations. A separate judge has temporarily blocked that policy and scheduled a hearing for Monday.

The administration also instructed nearly all USAID employees stationed overseas to return to the US within 30 days, covering travel and relocation costs. Diplomats have requested waivers for those facing disruptions, such as families with children in school.

A USAID notice posted online Thursday clarified that employees placed on leave would not be forced to leave their host countries. However, those staying beyond 30 days without a hardship waiver might have to cover their own expenses.

During a visit to the Dominican Republic, Rubio stated that the administration would assist staff in returning home within the 30-day period “if they so desired” and would consider exceptions for special circumstances. He justified the actions by accusing USAID employees of “sneaking through payments” in defiance of the administration’s foreign aid freeze—an allegation agency staff deny.

Rubio emphasized that US foreign assistance would continue but in a manner “aligned with our national interest.”