A DC -Federal judge who was sideways with USAID workers on Thursday and granted their request to extend a restriction order that prevents the Trump administration effectively to shut down the Foreign Aid Agency.

US district judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointedsaid he would extend a week the temporary limitation order, with plans to issue a final decision on a request to block President Donald Trump’s action on February 21.

His new order instructs the government to reintroduce all USAID employees who put on administrative leave and prohibit the Trump administration from implementing a new administrative leave for USAID employees.

The hearing Thursday centered at the level of “irreparable damage” allegedly against Trump’s executive action in court. Nichols asked the plaintiff’s lawyers detailed questions about the effects of a stop work order that placed virtually every USAID employee on leave.

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A flag outside the American Agency for International Development (USAID) head office is seen on February 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo of Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Karla Gilbride, representing the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government employees told the judge that USAID -Employees had suffered injury both because of their own security problems and concerns about their well -being.

“These are no isolated incidents, this is an outstanding dismantling of a congress created agency,” she said. The plaintiff “is damaged by measures that are unconstitutional … This is a coordinated and unconstitutional effort to disassemble the agency.”

At the same time, the Ministry of Justice, Eric Hamilton told Nichols that USAID complaints are a matter of “nature of the staff,” and claims that they should be handled via MSPB’s appeal process, rather than the federal court system.

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E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse is seen in Washington, DC ((Photo of SHA Handling/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images))

Hamilton also drove back on claims of “irrevocable damage”, and told Nichols that the government is “engaged in their security.”

“98% of those placed in administrative leave were in the United States and the remaining were in developed countries like the UK,” Hamilton said.

President Donald Trump and Dogge Chief Elon Musk have accused USAID of great waste and fraud. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

He pointed to a decisive on Wednesday night from American district judge George O’Toole in Massachusetts that allows Trump -Administration’s deferred departure program – In summary, as “Fork in the road” departure offer – to stand and claim that this measure is similar.

Last week, Nichols granted a request from the US Agency for international development employees to temporarily block the Trump administration’s order, which would have placed approximately 2,200 USAIDs on leave from last Friday, and given all employees who live abroad just 30 days To return to us land at the expense of the government.

The order also temporarily reintroduced about 500 employees who had been placed in administrative leave by Trump.

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Nichols said in his decision last week that the sudden order would cause “irrevocable damage” for employees affected by the withholding orders.

He had paused the Trump administration’s plans for Friday 14 February, which Nichols said would enable “accelerated” arguments to help the court decide the legality of the documents.