The Trump administration is making a critical move by appealing to the Supreme Court to overturn a judge's order that demands prompt payment of nearly $2 billion in outstanding invoices from foreign-aid contractors within a few hours.
Emergency Appeal to the Supreme Court
Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court, arguing the impossibility of meeting the urgent deadline set by U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in response to lawsuits from aid organizations. These groups claim severe financial strain due to the halt in funding.
Judge's Ruling and Administration's Compliance
Judge Ali, appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued the order after determining that the Trump administration had disregarded a previous court directive to resume payments to foreign aid groups. Instead of unfreezing the aid per Ali's February 13 mandate, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development sought new legal justifications to maintain the freeze.
Immediate Payment Demand
Consequently, Judge Ali instructed the administration to make the payments for approximately $2 billion of completed work by aid contractors before 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.
Impact on Aid Recipients
Recipients of foreign aid highlight the detrimental effects of the funding halt, attributing closures, layoffs, and discontinuation of vital humanitarian operations worldwide to President Trump's executive order on foreign assistance. They assert that the administration's actions to terminate contracts and halt aid flow have escalated post-Ali's intervention to lift the spending suspension.