Soros-Backed Judge Amir Ali Enters Minute Order Following Supreme Court’s Denial of Trump‘s Emergency Bid to Cancel Nearly $2 Billion in USAID

Judge Ali enters minute order following Supreme Court’s denial of Trump Administration’s Application to stay/vacate.

A minute order is a brief, written record of a court proceeding, typically prepared by a court clerk or judge. It summarizes the key events, decisions, or actions taken during a hearing or trial, such as rulings, motions, or scheduling details. Unlike a formal judgment or detailed transcript, a minute order is concise and serves as an official documentation of what occurred in court on a specific date. These orders are often used to provide a quick reference for attorneys, parties involved, or for future court proceedings. For example, a minute order might note that a motion was granted, a case was continued to a new date, or certain evidence was admitted. (Grok)

“The parties shall meet and confer and file a joint status report by 11:00 a.m. tomorrow proposing a schedule for the Defendants [Trump admin] to come into compliance with the Court’ temporary restraining order …..”

BREAKING: Judge Ali enters minute order following Supreme Court’s denial of Trump Administration’s Application to stay/vacate. pic.twitter.com/J9HKDoJsK4

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) March 5, 2025

So, Judge didn’t just enter order saying COMPLY now. And Judge’s “coming into compliance” suggests he now recognizes he’s Order was impossible to comply with. On its surface, Judge’s order suggests he got message of SCOTUS’s order. . . but I doubt it!

2/2 So, Judge didn’t just enter order saying COMPLY now. And Judge’s “coming into compliance” suggests he now recognizes he’s Order was impossible to comply with. On its surface, Judge’s order suggests he got message of SCOTUS’s order. . . but I doubt it!

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) March 5, 2025

Reposting this to respond as I’m seeing many folks noting this relates to work already done: a) What Court order requires is payment NOW without reviewing whether money is actually due under contract/grant for what work was performed; b) EVEN if it is due this Court has no power… https://t.co/81gLBwp7it

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) March 5, 2025

Related:

First Federal Muslim Judge Judge Amir Ali Rules Trump Administration Has to Pay Millions in Jihad Aid

One of Biden’s Final Appointments, First Federal Muslim Judge Judge Amir Ali Overrules Trump’s Foreign Aid Freeze, Tax Dollars to Jihad To Flow Again

A former Federal prosecutor has this take:

A couple of truth bombs about today’s decision by SCOTUS on the TRO issued by Judge Ali:

The DOJ never appealed the original TRO entered by him. Rather than do that, they opted to “maneuver” around thru a hole he left in his order that allowed them to rely on statutes/regs/ contract terms to delay making the payments.

Right or wrong – they didn’t appeal his decision outright, which is one of the things the Plaintiff’s pointed out to the Supreme Court. The only appeal was of his Feb. 25 Order that the payments be made by Feb. 26 at 11:59 pm.

Second, Roberts stepped in when there were 2 hours left and there was much uncertainty about whether the payments could be made as directed by Judge Ali on a logistical basis.

That issue is dealt with by today Order.

Judge Ali is directed by the Order to be specific about what claims his order covers and he needs to consider the logistical problems of making the payments in fashioning a new order.

“Given that the deadline in the challenged
order has now passed, and in light of the ongoing preliminary injunction proceedings, the District Court should clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due
regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines.”

The Govt will surely appeal any subsequent order that directs it to pay parties who are not before the Court.

So, don’t read more into the Order than is there.

Yes, it would have been nice for the Court to simply vacate the TRO. But that would not have solved the problem. As the Order notes, the Preliminary Injunction proceedings are ongoing.

The briefing on that is complete and a hearing was supposed to take place yesterday. I expect Judge Ali will now hold that hearing since his TRO expires on 3/10 — 5 days.

The jurisdictional issues are raised in the briefing so Judge Ali is going have to confront them as part of any decision he makes.

None of that was before the SCOTUS in a properly briefed form.

Roberts always prefers regular order. He stepped in because the order to pay by 11:59 that night was the problem.

The other issues can all be dealt with in regular order — let Judge Ali enter his TRO, the Govt appeals the TRO to the Circuit Court, and then the case gets to SCOTUS on the merits.