Trump Plan to Put USAID Employees on Leave Blocked by Judge

A federal judge said he would pause the Trump administration’s plans to place 2,200 U.S. Agency for International Development workers on leave, an attorney for the workers said Friday.

Judge Carl J. Nichols granted a request for a temporary restraining order from unions representing the workers.

The order also temporarily suspends efforts to recall USAID staff from overseas, the American Foreign Service Association, a plaintiff, said in a statement.

“This development provides short-term relief as we continue to pursue litigation,” the group said in a statement posted online.

The unions sued Thursday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to block a series of moves from President Donald Trump that they said were dismantling the agency.

The moves included a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance, stop-work orders on USAID foreign assistance awards, and laying off contractors, according to the complaint.

The usaid.gov website said USAID personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally on Friday, the complaint said.

The suit says the administration’s actions violate constitutional separation of powers and exceed the agency’s power.

“Not a single one of defendants’ actions to dismantle USAID were taken pursuant to congressional authorization,” the complaint says. “And pursuant to federal statute, Congress is the only entity that may lawfully dismantle the agency.”

Public Citizen Litigation Group and Democracy Forward Foundation represent the unions.

The case is Am. Fed’n of Gov’t Employees v. Trump, D.D.C., No. 1:25-cv-00352, 2/7/25.