Federal judge lifts block on Trump administration placing USAID employees on leave

A federal judge on Friday lifted his block on the Trump administration's plan to reduce the U.S. Agency for International Development by placing 2,200 employees on leave, ruling that the initial complaint's arguments were  "overstated."

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a President Trump appointee, paused the order earlier this month after two unions representing USAID employees sued the administration over the plans. 

Nichols declined to grant an injunction on the order and lifted his pause, stating that the unions failed to prove the order would cause irreparable harm, that their claims were likely to succeed on the merits, or that public interest favors an injunction, according to The Hill.

“Weighing plaintiffs’ assertions on these questions against the government’s is like comparing apples to oranges,” Nichols wrote. “Where one side claims that USAID’s operations are essential to human flourishing and the other side claims they are presently at odds with it, it simply is not possible for the Court to conclude, as a matter of law or equity, that the public interest favors or disfavors an injunction.” 

The ruling comes after the judge last week questioned why the unions were seeking legal rulings now, instead of waiting until the actions go into effect. A lawyer for the unions claimed that if the employees waited then they would not have an agency to which they could return.

A Justice Department attorney repeatedly claimed that the employees placed on leave would remain safe, and the leave would be paid. But the amount of time that the leave would be in effect has not been specified.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.