On Tuesday, a federal judge directed the Trump administration to cancel the freezing of foreign aid financing within two days after indications that it was Not complying with the previous court order To keep money flow to help groups around the world.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Development Agency must issue funds and pay a number of bills by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, Judge Amir Ali from the Federal Provincial Court of Colombia.
Judge Ali ordered the Trump administration on February 13 / President Trump has commanded the executive to stop most of the foreign aid For 90 days.
On Tuesday’s session focused on a growing group of evidence that the Trump administration was avoiding this and Exploiting various legal solutions To keep external assistance from the flow.
Judge Ali became disappointed after pressing Indraneel Sur, the lawyer for the Ministry of Justice, four times to cite any step taken by the Trump administration to launch money. But it seems that Mr. Sur draws empty, as he stops for a long time before speaking and wanders in legal arguments.
Judge Ali said at some point: “I am not sure why I cannot get an answer directly from you.” “Are you aware of the steps taken to actually issue this money?”
“I have no ability to read these specific facts,” said Mr. Sur.
Lauren Batman, the lawyer who represents the groups that brought the lawsuit, told the judge that her customers believe that Elon Musk’s partners have continued to “the veto” recently on February 23, and that workers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had placed a sign that they have been cut off from the financing systems this week .
Mrs. Batman added that many workers who used to oversee grants and payment It was already suspended or shootingHe left “barely anyone” left to comply with the courts’ orders.
Judge Ali Al -Wakalat ordered the payment of all bills and “requests to withdraw a credit letter”, on all contracts for work completed before his order on February 13, including payment requests for grants and assistance agreements.
“The defendants may not take any measures to impeding the quick payments for allocated foreign auxiliary funds, and take all necessary measures to ensure immediate payments for allocated foreign aid funds,” he said.
It was on Tuesday The second time The federal judge submitted a request to obtain a “proposal to enforce”, urging the government to act after the signs that he had not obeyed a previous ruling. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Rod Island granted a similar request after he found that the Trump administration continued the situation to issue billions of dollars in the federal scholarships he ordered.
Last week, Judge Ali Decline To hold the government in contempt for the court to challenge the previous matter, but he continued to press for details. On Tuesday, the government also ordered in detail the steps it took to make payments in the report of the situation due at noon on Wednesday.
The ruling also came at a time when the Trump administration tried to slow its compliance Calling other legal authorities To stimulate the freezing of the intended blanket on external aid, including conducting a comprehensive review separately to grant external assistance.
When he was asked on Tuesday if the government had taken any steps to resume payments, Mr. Sur presented some of these laws and regulations, apparently to justify the reason why the government did not do so.
Judge Ali said: “I assume that you know that it is not enough to reach a legal authority.”
He added: “I hope you understand the reason for the importance of this, as the lawyer advises your customer.”
