Judge Halts Shutdown, Chaos Ensues!

Judge Halts Shutdown, Chaos Ensues!

After the U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, ordered a halt to all state-funded grants and credits, a federal judge has temporarily put the measure on hold. The government is not aware of the full extent of the programs that will be affected by the measure, said U.S. District Judge Loren Ali Khan in her justification. Until Monday, the federal support programs can continue to operate, at least for the time being, due to the judge’s intervention. An extension of the judge’s order is considered likely.

The U.S. government had justified the spending halt by stating that all federal programs must be brought “in line with the president’s policy.” It aims to identify programs that could be affected by the president’s executive orders, particularly expenditures for foreign aid, non-governmental organizations, diversity programs, “woke gender ideology” and the “Green New Deal.” The halt of the programs is constitutionally disputed. According to the principle of the separation of powers, it is the responsibility of the U.S. Congress to decide on these funds.

According to the White House, the U.S. government had allocated over $3 billion in financial aid, including grants and loans, in 2024. The list of programs affected by the spending halt is 52 pages long.

Among the programs halted is the sub-agency of the Commerce Department, which deals with climate science and weather forecasting. The National Science Foundation has also stopped awarding fellowships. In particular, for students, scientists and individuals working in all areas of public service, these fellowships are often the only source of income. Temporarily, the healthcare program Medicaid in Chicago was also unable to be used, as it appears that an application portal was part of the halted programs.

The delivery of life-saving medicines against malaria, HIV and tuberculosis, as well as the delivery of other medical aid, was also interrupted by the spending halt. According to official statements, the USAID program has, to date, kept 20 million people with HIV alive.