The judge said that the administration had failed to comply with earlier orders that the funds be unfrozen.

A federal judge has ordered the administration of US President Donald Trump to pay foreign aid funds to contractors and grant recipients by the end of Wednesday.

The order marks the third time the judge in the case, Amir Ali, has ruled that officials must release funds that were frozen after Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid.

In Tuesday’s ruling, Judge Ali noted there is no indication the administration has taken any steps to comply with his earlier orders.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit — which include nonprofits and businesses with government contracts — have argued they may have to shutter their organisations if the agreed-upon funds are not paid.

They also allege that the administration has violated federal law and the United States Constitution by refusing to pay out the funds, which were allocated by Congress.

The complaint also points out that the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) might run afoul of the constitutional separation of powers, since Congress created the independent agency in 1961.

The court order applies to payments for work done before February 13, when the judge issued the earlier temporary restraining order.

On Sunday, USAID said that all of its staff, except certain essential workers, would be put on paid administrative leave starting on Sunday. In addition, 1,600 positions were eliminated.

“Individuals that are impacted will receive specific notifications on February 23, 2025, with further instructions and information about their benefits and rights,” a notice from the Trump administration said the next day.

Led by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration has moved to effectively dismantle the agency.

Musk — who has called USAID a “criminal organisation” and a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America” — has claimed the agency is rife with waste and fraud and pursues an ideological agenda.

Former USAID officials and humanitarian workers have condemned Trump’s move, warning that the demise of the aid agency will harm millions of vulnerable people worldwide and weaken US soft power.

“Eliminating US unique response capacity of crisis experts who help contain disease outbreaks, stabilise displaced populations – a shortsighted, high risk and frankly, stupid act,” Marcia Wong, a former deputy assistant administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, wrote on the social media platform X.

Last week, a judge also cleared the way for the Trump administration to push ahead with its plans to call back thousands of USAID staffers from overseas within 30 days.

“For overseas personnel, USAID intends a voluntary, Agency-funded return travel program and other benefits,” USAID’s website said in its notice.

“USAID is committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe. Until they return home, personnel will retain access to Agency systems and to diplomatic and other resources. In the coming week, we will provide details on how to retrieve personal items from the former USAID workspaces and return government issued devices.”

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Al Jazeera and news agencies