WASHINGTON — In a significant development, a federal judge has mandated the Trump administration to pay nearly $2 billion in outstanding debts to partners of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department by Monday, effectively ending a six-week funding freeze on all foreign assistance.
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali issued a ruling favoring nonprofit organizations and businesses that challenged the funding freeze, which resulted in widespread service reductions and job losses globally.
This ruling follows a recent decision by a divided Supreme Court that declined the administration’s request to maintain the funding freeze impacting USAID. The high court directed Judge Ali to clarify the government’s obligations in releasing funds for previously completed work.
