Workers Sue Federal Government Over USAID Restructuring

The Epoch Times Header

The lawsuit seeks the restoration of USAID funding, the reopening of its offices, and the blocking of further orders to dissolve it.

Two labor groups representing employees from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) sued the federal government on Thursday in an attempt to reverse its dismantling.

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing U.S. government workers, and the American Foreign Service Association filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Washington. The groups are seeking an order blocking what they claim are โ€œunconstitutional and illegal actionsโ€ that have created a โ€œglobal humanitarian crisis by abruptly halting the crucial work of USAID employees, grantees, and contractors.โ€

President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are among the defendants.

On Monday, businessman Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), said during a live session on social media platform X that USAID is โ€œbeyond repair.โ€

Musk added in a post on X: โ€œWe spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper.โ€

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has placed a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid and development funding pending reviews to align the agency with his America First policy.

USAIDโ€™s website went offline over the weekend and hundreds of contractors have been laid off in recent days, a person familiar with the agencyโ€™s developments told The Epoch Times.

The agencyโ€™s website now states that as of midnight on Friday โ€œall USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.โ€

The lawsuit seeks a temporary and eventually permanent order from the court restoring USAIDโ€™s funding, reopening its offices, and blocking further orders to dissolve it.

โ€œNot a single one of defendantsโ€™ actions to dismantle USAID were taken pursuant to congressional authorization,โ€ the lawsuit said. โ€œAnd pursuant to federal statute, Congress is the only entity that may lawfully dismantle the agency.โ€

Byย Kimberly Hayek

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Trumpโ€™s Latest Angry Post About Putin Is His Most Significant One Yet

Trumpโ€™s latest angry post about Putin revealed how he perceives the Ukrainian Conflict. According to Trump, โ€œ[Putin] has gone absolutely CRAZY!

Trucking Industry Insiders Back Move to Bring Back English Proficiency Checks

U.S. govt is taking steps to close a legal loophole that allowed logistics companies to employ truck drivers who aren't necessarily credentials to do job.

President Trump is RIGHT to Defund Higher Ed!

Harvard is suing Trump Admin calling on court to restore research dollars after refusal to cooperate to combat Antisemitism and hate speech on campus.

Triumph for the American People as โ€˜One Big Beautiful Billโ€™ Passes House

In a historic victory for President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping tax-cut and spending bill.

Choctaw Nation Honors Code Talkers Who Helped Turn the Tide in WWI

Shortly after enlisting, Oklahombi and 19 other Choctaw men became part of an effort using their language to help win the war for the Allies.

News

Texas Gov. Abbott Signs Anti-Transnational Repression Law

TX Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation to protect Texans from political coercion and intimidation orchestrated by foreign government agents.

US Issues โ€˜Level 2โ€™ Travel Warnings for Citizens Traveling to Italy, Belgium

U.S. Dept of State issued a Level 2 travel warning for American citizens visiting Italy and Belgium due to โ€œrisk of terrorist violence.โ€

CDC Stops Recommending COVID Vaccine for Healthy Children, Pregnant Women

CDC will no longer recommend healthy children and pregnant women take COVID-19 vaccine shots, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced.

Supreme Court Wonโ€™t Hear Studentโ€™s Challenge to School Ban on โ€˜Two Gendersโ€™ Shirt

U.S. Supreme Court declined to accept a studentโ€™s challenge to a Massachusetts schoolโ€™s decision to ban his โ€œthere are only two gendersโ€ T-shirt.

Southwest Airlines to Start Charging $35 for First Checked Bag Under New Policy

Southwest Airlines will start charging $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for the second on select fares, ending its decades-long โ€œbags fly freeโ€ policy.

US Court Orders Recovery of $2.5 Million Worth of Stolen Cryptocurrencies

A federal judge has ordered the forfeiture of roughly $2.5 million worth of cryptocurrencies stolen via scams, the DOJ said in a statement.

China CDC Reveals Dominant COVID-19 Variant

As the international community monitors global spread of Omicron variant NB.1.8.1, China said it is primary variant spreading in the country.

Prosecutors Seek 3-Year Sentence for Chinese Man Who Operated Secret Police Station in NYC

U.S. prosecutors are seeking three-year prison sentence for Chinese American citizen accused of operating a secret police station for Beijing in NYC borough of Manhattan.
spot_img

Related Articles