Judge gives Trump administration two days to unblock billions of dollars in withheld foreign aid

A federal judge on Tuesday gave the Trump administration less than two days to unblock billions of dollars in withheld U.S. foreign aid.

The judge made this decision arguing that the Government has not given any sign of complying with his court order from almost two weeks ago to reduce the funding freeze.

The lawsuit that led to the ruling was filed by nonprofits over cuts in foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department that followed a Jan. 20 executive order by President Donald Trump targeting what he portrayed as wasteful programs that were not aligned with his foreign policy goals.

Nonprofit groups and companies that receive federal money to work abroad argued that the freeze violates federal law and has halted funding for even the most urgent, life-saving programs abroad .

These USAID and State partners say the government has taken billions of dollars in money they were owed, forcing them to lay off tens of thousands of employees and pushing some organizations toward financial ruin.

U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali on February 13 ordered the government to, at least temporarily, resume funding, including to pay its own bills .

Judge orders US government to release foreign aid funds

Despite the order, USAID officials and companies and nonprofit groups say they are not aware of any payments being made.

“I’m not sure why I can’t get a straight answer from you on this: Are you aware of an unfreeze of the disbursement of funds for contracts and agreements that were frozen before February 13? Are you aware of any steps taken to release those funds?” the judge asked government lawyer Indraneel Sur.

“I’m not in a position to answer that,” Sur said.

The case was brought by the AIDS Vaccine Alliance and the Council for Global Health, representing health organizations that receive U.S. funding to work abroad. They had asked the judge to rule that the Trump administration had violated his earlier order .

It's the second time in just over a month that a judge has found the Trump administration has failed to comply with a court order .

Rhode Island District Court Judge John McConnell also found this month that the administration had not fully unfrozen federal grants and loans within the United States, even after blocking sweeping plans for a pause in executive spending.