Federal Judge Loren AliKhan’s decision to order a suspension of the freeze on federal aid programs on Monday, January 28, 2025, offers only a temporary reprieve. The judge described the ruling, which expires on February 3, as a “brief administrative stay” meant to maintain the status quo while litigation continues. “I believe there is the specter of irreparable harm,” said AliKhan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden—the same president who signed the last budget, which runs through March.

As officials try to grasp the scope and implications of this decision, a source familiar with public health matters has already summed up the freeze and its consequences in one word: catastrophic. “The aid freeze is catastrophic,” the source stated before offering an explanation. “In Haiti, there are HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients who need daily medication. Without it, they risk developing drug-resistant strains. These resistant strains require more medication, far more money, and significantly increase the risk of death.”