A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for foreign aid through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), temporarily frustrating the president’s efforts to shut down the agency.
At the beginning of February, members of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency entered the USAID headquarters, closed its offices, furloughed its employees, and shut down its funding.
"It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, USAID run by radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, and then we’ll make a decision," the president told reporters on 2 February, according to NBC News.
The sudden end to federal funding has been chaotic for international development groups that rely on USAID to run their programs, including fisheries programs. In fiscal year 2022, USAID invested more than USD 73 million (EUR 70 million) “to conserve marine biodiversity and promote sustainable fisheries in priority biodiversity areas” over 25 countries.
Byron Bay, Australia-based conservation group Positive Change for Marine Life was one of the fisheries groups affected by the freeze.
“Our communities are left in limbo each day, hoping that our significant contracts from USAID will be reinstated so they can return to work,” Positive Change for Marine Life said in a 4 February social media post seeking donations to make up for lost USAID funding. “Each day, our team members in the Solomon Islands and India question when they can return to work—as for most, this is their only source of income, and they take enormous pride in the impact that they are having on their communities and the ocean.”
The group claims it needs to raise USD 300,000 (EUR 285,598) to continue its programs without USAID funding.
However, the federal funding is set to be restored – at least temporarily.
In a 13 February court order, Judge Amir Ali of the U.S. district court in Washington ordered the Trump administration to lift its freeze on USAID funding, noting that the Trump administration was unable to explain why it needed to freeze all funding of foreign aid in order to conduct a review.
“Defendants have not offered any explanation for why a blanket suspension of all congressionally appropriated foreign aid, which set off a shockwave and upended reliance interests for thousands of agreements with businesses, nonprofits, and organizations around the country, was a rational precursor to reviewing programs,” Ali said.
In addition, the judge found that while the sudden pause in funding could cause real world harm, the Trump administration could not show any harm from continuing the funding.
“Plaintiffs also detailed the existential consequence to their missions, which may endanger the health and safety of children and other vulnerable populations,” Ali noted. “At the court’s hearing, defendants did not dispute the likelihood of those consequences, although they looked forward to having more time to develop a record in response as the proceedings continue. And on the other side, defendants did not argue or adduce evidence that any concrete, real-world harm will take place in the event temporary relief is granted.”
It’s unclear how much the three-week funding pause – and the ongoing uncertainty of any future federal funds – has damaged international groups that partner with USAID or depend on its funding.
The judge has ordered the Trump administration to file a status report with the court outlining its compliance with the order by 18 February.
Kevin Fitzsimmons, an aquaculture specialist and an environmental science professor at the University of Arizona, told SeafoodSource substantial damage had already been done.
“This entails frozen funds, staff layoffs, and scrambling around to find alternative funding for students. One of my projects was canceled ‘with no opportunity for appeal of the decision.’ In another, the funds are frozen, and the USAID person coordinating the program has been ordered to return to the U.S.,” he said. “In the larger sphere, projects are being canceled and frozen that affect all kinds of fisheries and aquaculture efforts. I have been on the phone with and emailed various agencies and project leaders, and the most common response is, ‘I wish I knew more and could answer your questions.’ There seems to have been no planning or thought given to process or procedure.”
