Washington – On Tuesday, a federal judge continued to block the Federal Assistance Management and Budget Office, giving again the ongoing efforts of the Trump Administration to reduce federal expenditure.
Judge Loren Alikhan from United States District Court by Columbia District ruled in favor of a group of non -profit organizations to find that they are likely to be successful in their challenge in pausing all federal aid, loans and other federal assistance programs. The judge found that the non -profit showed that “freezing freezing would be economically catastrophic – and in some circumstances, fatal – to its members” and agreed to grant his request for preliminary ordering while the case is presented. .
Alikhan had previously issued a temporary restraint order that prevented the Trump administration from freezing federal assistance while considering the non -profit request for an injunction relief. The judge held an audience about his motion last week.
Non -profit groups had argued that the Trump administration surpassed its authority by ordering the nation to freeze and said that it threatened federal help based on its exercise in its speech rights and association of the first amendment. Alikhan agreed in his decision that the Government “can cross a constitutional line.”
“The extent of the shadow seeks to say is” impressive “, and its ramifications are massive,” wrote the judge, designated by former President Joe Biden. “Because there is no clear legal hook for this wide statement of power, it is likely that the plaintiffs will be successful in the merit of this statement.”
Alikhan said that the non -profit showed a “testing mountain” that “even the threat of a freezing freezing was enough to send countless organizations to complete disorders.”
Shadow issued his note Direct federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to federal financial assistance on January 27. The directive quickly promoted two demands, one of the non -profit group, presented to the Washington Federal District Court, DC; and the second of a group of democratic states, introduced to Rhode Island.
But two days after the shadow issued its note, it He rescdinds. Shortly after the note of the note, the secretary of the white house, Karoline Leavitt, announced on social media that the new directive was not a termination of the freezing of federal funding, but only a disconnection of the note of the note January 27 of Shadow.
Although the government argued that the white house directive to pause in shade grants was terminated and should not be considered widely, “agencies still implemented the original memorandum as written,” Alikhan wrote in His decision, which resulted in programs such as “Head Start” Program and funds for small businesses.
“The defendants still cannot provide a reasonable explanation why they had to freeze all federal financial assistance in less than a day to” safeguard valuable resources from taxpayers, “Alikhan added.