A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to temporarily lift a funding freeze that has crippled U.S. humanitarian aid and development efforts worldwide. The ruling, issued late Thursday, highlighted the financial harm caused by the abrupt halt of payments to suppliers and nonprofits involved in U.S. aid programs overseas.

This decision marks the first legal challenge to the administration’s funding freeze, amid a wave of lawsuits from various groups seeking to reverse the rapid dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and foreign assistance under the current administration. The judge’s order questioned the rationale behind the blanket suspension of all congressionally appropriated foreign aid and its impact on thousands of organizations and businesses.

The administration’s argument for halting funding to review aid programs was deemed insufficient by the judge, who also prohibited Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials from enforcing stop-work orders on aid programs. The ruling emphasized the detrimental effects of the freeze on contractors, farmers, and suppliers, with reports of undelivered aid and financial struggles.

Furthermore, another lawsuit resulted in a temporary block on an administration order to reduce USAID staff worldwide, pending detailed safety plans for aid workers on leave. The plight of USAID staffers in Congo, left vulnerable during a crisis, underscored the stakes of the administration’s actions.

The judge’s rulings signal a critical moment in the legal battles against the administration’s overhaul of foreign assistance, emphasizing the urgency of upholding aid programs and protecting aid workers in challenging environments.