A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order to stop the Trump administration from putting at least 2,200 employees at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave or firing them. The order was announced by US District Judge Carl Nichols just hours before the agency was set to take action.
The judge's order prevents the agency from placing the 2,200 direct hires on administrative leave as planned. Another 500 direct employees at USAID have already been put on hold, but the order does not apply to them. Additionally, many contractors at the agency have been furloughed or laid off.
The original notice sent to direct hires indicated that USAID was preparing to arrange and pay for their return travel to the United States within 30 days and terminate non-essential contractors. The judge's decision puts a halt to this plan.
Judge Nichols described his order as 'limited' and also stopped the administration's efforts to accelerate the removal of individuals from their countries. The order is expected to remain in effect while the judge considers further action in a lawsuit filed by labor groups representing USAID employees.
This development comes amidst ongoing challenges within the agency and raises questions about the future of its workforce. The judge's intervention provides temporary relief for the affected employees as the legal process unfolds.
