Chicago – March 11, 2025
One of the newest federal judges in the United States, Amir H. Ali, has quickly found himself handling a major case involving foreign aid. The Supreme Court has asked him to decide how and when the U.S. government must pay nearly $2 billion owed to aid groups and contractors.
Judge Ali, appointed by President Joe Biden, has only been in his position for four months. Despite his short time on the bench, he is already overseeing high-profile cases, including this one, which involves unpaid invoices for projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
This case is the first major one under President Donald Trump’s current term to reach the Supreme Court. Ali’s handling of it has drawn attention, especially from conservatives, who have criticized his past work as a lawyer for progressive legal groups.
Before becoming a judge, Ali had a well-known legal career. He was a professor, argued civil rights cases before the Supreme Court, and led Harvard Law’s Criminal Justice Appellate Clinic. His work on civil rights and police misconduct cases has earned recognition from groups like the NAACP and Bloomberg.
The Supreme Court recently ruled 5-4 against the Trump administration’s request to delay payments, sending the case back to Ali’s court in Washington, D.C. On Monday, Ali ordered the administration to pay all owed funds by March 14. He said withholding the money, which was already approved by Congress, was likely against the Constitution.
It is not yet clear if the Trump administration will try to challenge his ruling in court.
