Jan. 28 (UPI) -- A federal judge late Tuesday afternoon delayed the Trump administration's pause on federal funding for loans and grants after conducting a virtual hearing among litigants.
U.S. District of Washington, D.C., Judge Loren AliKhan granted a motion to temporarily stop the Office of Management and Budget from stopping respective federal agencies from distributing already-approved grants and other funding.
The injunction is in effect until 5 p.m. EST on Monday to give litigants time to prepare and argue their respective cases before the court, ABC News reported.
States, non-profits and other organizations are filing legal challenges after the Trump administration on Monday directed federal agencies to stop distributing loans and grants on Tuesday pending their review.
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"Given the few hours that remain before federal grantees are thrown into disarray, plaintiffs file this complaint to seek a temporary restraining order to maintain the status quo until the court has an opportunity to more fully consider the illegality of the Trump's administration's actions," a group of non-profits and public health organizations said in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C.
The National Council of Nonprofits, American Public Health Association, Main Street Alliance and Sage named the Office of Management and Budget and OMB Acting Director Matthew Vaeth as defendants in the lawsuit, CNBC, CNN and CBS reported.
A federal judge will have to make a fast decision on whether or not to grant a temporary restraining order to halt the planned freeze to stop it from happening before addressing the matter in court.
The Democratic attorneys general for several states also said they intend to file legal challenges on Tuesday, Politico reported.
In a memo late Monday viewed by CNN, The Hill, and The Washington Post, Vaeth ordered the pause to start Tuesday at 5 p.m. EST.
"This temporary pause will provide the administration time to review agency programs and determine the best use of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the president's priorities," the memo said, according to The Hill.
The memo, however, added that the break would not affect Social Security and Medicare benefits or other assistance given directly to individuals.
The stoppage would apply financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, "DEI, woke gender ideology, the Green New Deal," the memo said.
"Career and political appointees in the Executive Branch have a duty to align federal spending and action with the will of the American people as expressed through presidential priorities," Vaeth said, according to CNN.
Sen. Pat Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the leading Democrats on appropriations in the Senate and House, fired off a letter to Trump, saying they viewed the president's move with "extreme alarm."
They called the move "breathtaking" and "unprecedented," and that all federal resources should be delivered by the law. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer weighed in as well.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also quickly criticized the pause, calling it unlawful.
"Congress approved these investments, and they are not optional; they are the law," Schumer said in a message on Facebook. "These grants help people in red states and blue states, support families, help parents raise kids, and lead to stronger communities."
