USAID workers were cheered on by supporters as they removed their personal belongings from their Washington headquarters on Feb. 27. Following a federal judge’s ruling, the government was ordered to restore U.S. Agency for International Development systems that were abruptly shut down under Elon Musk’s leadership, as it was deemed to have likely violated the United States Constitution. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang directed Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to reinstate access to essential electronic systems such as email, payment, and security notifications for all current USAID employees and contractors. The department was also instructed to provide written confirmation of compliance to the court within seven days. Additionally, the court mandated an agreement among all relevant parties to ensure the potential reoccupation of the original USAID headquarters in the event of a favorable final ruling for the Plaintiffs within 14 days. Musk and DOGE were prohibited from taking any action concerning USAID without explicit authorization from a USAID official with legal authority. This restriction was imposed due to concerns that DOGE and Musk were primarily responsible for the rushed shutdown of USAID operations. Musk criticized the ruling on social media, suggesting political bias. The court order further prevented the termination of employees, placing them on leave, closing USAID buildings, or ending service contracts. Musk, appointed by President Donald Trump to oversee DOGE, had announced the planned shutdown of USAID shortly after taking office, resulting in disruptions to ongoing projects worldwide and potentially endangering lives according to a memo from a former official. A group of former national security officials emphasized the importance of USAID funding for national interests in a separate court filing. They warned against the negative repercussions of canceling contracts en masse, citing implications for American credibility and the rise of global competitors like China and Russia.
