A federal judge temporarily delayed a portion of a broad order to halt federal grants and loans that could have disrupted disaster relief, housing assistance, healthcare, education, and many other programs, which was a blow to US President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to the White House, the order was not as broad as it seemed, and US District Judge Loren L. AliKhan stopped the administration from enforcing it minutes before it was set to freeze all federal aid on Tuesday. He stated that the Trump administration must wait until February 3 to block existing funding programs.
According to a formal memo sent by Matthew Vaeth, Interim Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance.
However, the memorandum which was verified by media channels stated that the freeze in federal funding will not have an effect on Social Security or Medicare benefits nor does it include “assistance provided directly to individuals. In response to inquiries about a federal judge’s decision to stop the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze, Stephen Miller, the Deputy Chief of staff for the White House, stated that a halt in federal money would give the government “credit control.”
Miller went on to say, “It does not impact any federal programs that Americans rely on.” the media said.
Democrats had already denounced the action as unconstitutional. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the Trump administration’s federal funding halt a “harmful overreach.”
Schumer added, “It will mean missed payrolls and rent payments and chaos for everything from universities to non-profit charities, state disaster assistance, and aid to the elderly.”
