Court Rules in Favor of Trump Administration in USAID Workforce Reduction Legal Dispute

February 22, 2025 TruthUSA

The Trump administration is now able to proceed with plans to place approximately 2,000 USAID employees on leave.

A federal judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration can go ahead with putting over 2,000 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on leave, dealing a blow to government employee unions who claim this is an effort to dismantle the agency.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols determined on February 21 that the unions had not shown that their members would suffer irreparable harm from administrative leave. In his ruling, Nichols denied the request for a preliminary injunction, stating the plaintiffs failed to prove a strong likelihood of success on the underlying issues and that the public interest did not strongly favor an injunction.

“The plaintiffs have not demonstrated any imminent irreparable harm they or their members are likely to suffer from the potential future dissolution of USAID,” the judge remarked. “Moreover, there is no indication why the pace of proceedings in the relevant agencies would be inadequate to handle the actions that have already occurred and are now ready for review: placements on administrative leave, expedited evacuations, and other changes to working conditions that these agencies routinely address.”

This ruling follows President Donald Trump’s executive order on January 20, which imposed a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid, triggering a wave of lawsuits. The administration argues that the freeze is essential for reevaluating USAID programs, which they claim are wasteful and inconsistent with U.S. interests.

After Trump’s order, USAID directed thousands of employees to stop work on February 7, placing them on paid administrative leave and revoking their access to email, payment, and security systems. Employees stationed overseas were instructed to return to the U.S. within 30 days.

The unions—the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Foreign Service Association—filed a lawsuit against Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, USAID, and the Departments of State and Treasury, contending that the administration’s actions violate the Appropriations Act, which mandates the president notify Congress before making significant changes to USAID’s workforce.

The unions argued that the shutdown of USAID is causing a global humanitarian crisis and jeopardizing employee safety, especially in unstable regions like the Gaza Strip and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“These measures have ignited a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly interrupting the vital work of USAID personnel, grantees, and contractors,” they stated in their complaint. “They have resulted in thousands of American job losses and have jeopardized U.S. national security interests.”

Initially, Nichols issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on February 7, halting forced leave and repatriation; however, he later reduced the scope of that order after the government provided clarification that not all employees were being forcibly recalled. The TRO ended on February 21, and Nichols chose not to extend it, allowing the administration to move forward with its plan to place some 2,000 USAID employees on leave.

In his February 21 ruling, Nichols also indicated that future claims regarding USAID’s workforce reductions must undergo administrative review processes, such as those conducted by the Merit Systems Protection Board or Foreign Service Grievance Board, before being taken to court.

A request for comment directed to the unions’ legal representatives was not immediately answered.

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