A task force is urging the Trump administration to end the demise of USAID, as the planned staff will be reduced to fewer than 300.
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Employees and supporters will unite to protest in front of the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from February 3 to 25 in Washington, DC.
Employees and supporters will unite to protest in front of the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from February 3 to 25 in Washington, DC. Kevin Detsch/Getty Images
CNN
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A working group representing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sued Donald Trump on Thursday for his efforts to dismantle the decades-old humanitarian agency, after multiple sources told CNN that fewer than 300 of the agency's employees were to be retained while many others were placed on temporary leave or furlough.
The lawsuit also seeks the removal of nearly all foreign aid - a move that has ended essential humanitarian work and the licenses or permits of thousands and thousands of business owners.
This is the first lawsuit against the rapid continuation of actions taken against USAID. The complaint has been presented in the Federal Court, DC, by Democracy Forgock and the Chitched Business of the American Service Association (AFSA) and America's American Federation Government (AFGE).
It was presented after the USAID employees were planned to be placed on administrative license on Friday evening or, in the case of most controversh, licensed.
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An internal email described by many sources, indicated that less than 300 people will be considered essential personal - a major staff reduction.
It's not clear if the intervening courts urgently up to 11:59 PM et on Friday, when the USAID said that all its employment directly will be placed on leave.
The complaints against trump, and also its home marks rubio scott and their agencies, says the president has exceeded its authority in violation of the Federal Law. The workers' lawyers are asking the court to order the administration to reverse the actions it has taken to close the agency and "stop further action" while the disputes continue.
"None of the defendants' actions are intended to dismantle USAID, consistent with congressional direction," and under federal law, the agency is the only entity that can legally dismantle it."
The groups say Trump's recent actions are an unlawful usurpation of congressional authority.
"The president's actions to dissolve the agency are based on the first and most fundamental presidential authority granted to the agency by Congress, in violation of the powers granted to the agency by Congress," the lawsuit said.
"UNIP in EPELY, including members of the foreign service, intends to cause chaos and uncertainty," AMF President Tom Yazd said Thursday. "These professionals have spent their careers advancing America's interests abroad, only to see their livelihoods destroyed overnight."
"The consequences of this breakup go beyond individual careers: it weakens American leadership and undermines global stability around the world." "The AMF will continue to protect its members and pursue all options to protect this essential workforce," he said.
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, argued that "the Trump administration's USAID is part of a coordinated campaign to undermine the will of Congress and isolate America in the world."
Trump said Monday that he does not need Congress to eliminate USAID entirely, surprising legal experts who say the president does not have the legal authority to unilaterally dismantle independent federal agencies like USAID.
"Not when it comes to cheating. "If there's fraud, these people are crazy," Trump said when CNN's Jeff Zeleny asked about his ability to push for major changes at USAID. "We just want to do the right thing. This is something that should have been done a long time ago." The groups focused on the impact of various steps Trump has taken in recent days to dismantle the agency, including freezing foreign aid and mass clearances of USAID contractors and beneficiaries. "These actions have created a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly interrupting the critical work of USAID staff, grantees, and contractors." They have cost thousands of American jobs. "And they have jeopardized the national security interests of the United States," the groups' lawyers wrote in the complaint. They argued that "USAID's closure of malaria prevention programs shut down clinical trials and threatens to fuel a global HIV, non-HIV deaths now being attributed to HIV." CNN's Alex Marquardt, Lauren Kent and Sean Lynghaas contributed to this report.
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