U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Block Release of Frozen Foreign Aid
In a closely divided 5-4 decision, the United States Supreme Court has declined a request to halt the distribution of billions of dollars in foreign aid that had previously been frozen by the federal government. The funds, already approved by Congress, were the subject of legal disputes following their suspension earlier this year.
The Court’s unsigned order allows lower court proceedings to continue, keeping the potential for the aid to be released. While the decision did not require immediate payment, it cleared the way for a district judge to enforce a prior temporary order requiring the government to begin disbursing the funds.
The ruling came after several nonprofit organizations raised concerns that delays in funding were harming vital global health and humanitarian programs. These groups argued that withholding the aid undermined U.S. efforts to combat disease, promote stability, and support vulnerable populations around the world.
Justice Samuel Alito, in a dissent joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh, strongly criticized the Court’s refusal to intervene. He expressed concern about judicial overreach and defended the administration’s discretion over timing and review of spending.
Legal experts described the Supreme Court’s ruling as a narrow procedural step, emphasizing that it does not directly mandate the release of funds but instead allows the lower court to continue overseeing the matter. Georgetown University Law Center professor Steve Vladeck noted that the order requires more detailed guidance from the lower court regarding which specific contracts or grants should move forward.
The dispute centers around the suspension of funding from agencies such as the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The freeze affected a wide range of global initiatives, including public health, education, and humanitarian aid. Many programs were left in limbo, with thousands of grants either canceled or delayed.
In response to a legal challenge, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali had ordered a portion of the aid to be released while the case moved forward. He later directed that the funds be disbursed by a specific deadline, which the government said it could not meet due to administrative challenges.
Organizations such as the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Global Health Council, representing many nonprofits, said the withheld aid had serious consequences for global health efforts. In court filings, they claimed the delays were not due to logistical issues, but to a lack of cooperation from decision-makers within the government.
According to filings, the administration had terminated nearly 5,800 USAID awards, retaining around 500, totaling roughly $57 billion in potential funding. Thousands more State Department awards were also reportedly affected.
Around the world, numerous aid programs have been disrupted due to the funding freeze, impacting services at a critical time. Legal proceedings are expected to continue in the coming weeks, as the courts work to determine the scope of compliance and the timeline for any disbursement of funds.