US courts have blocked efforts by President Donald Trump's team to access Treasury Department records and lay off staff at the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
On Saturday, US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer blocked Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Treasury Department records. This followed a Friday ruling by US District Judge Carl Nichols, who blocked an order to place thousands of overseas USAID workers on administrative leave.
These rulings are the latest in a series aimed at obstructing the Trump administration's attempts to disrupt government institutions. Lawsuits from states, cities, Democratic legislators, labor unions, and advocacy groups have led to numerous orders halting or pausing White House actions.
DOGE, which seeks access to records across government agencies, has raised concerns among critics about Musk's growing influence. USAID has been a primary target of the administration's shake-up, with all US aid frozen and the agency facing closure or a reduction in staff from 10,000 to 300.
Engelmayer's order came after 19 Democratic attorneys general sued to prevent DOGE from accessing records containing sensitive personal data. A hearing is scheduled for February.
Nichols' temporary order blocking the USAID staff changes was based on concerns about the potential hardship for furloughed workers and their families who would be required to relocate to the US within 30 days to receive government support.
The judge also noted that the administration's actions had cut off some USAID workers from essential communication systems, potentially jeopardizing their safety in emergency situations.
Despite these rulings, Nichols declined to block the administration's funding freeze of USAID, pending further hearings.