WASHINGTON − On Monday, a federal judge prolonged the blockage of the Trump administration’s attempts to halt trillions of dollars in federal spending, mandating that the administration provide proof of its compliance by Friday.

U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan made this ruling after rejecting the Justice Department’s claim that the administration was adhering to her initial order to stop the funding freeze as well as a similar directive issued by another judge last week.

“Every day that the funding pause continues to affect the nation is another day that American citizens are being denied access to essential programs that support their health and housing,” she stated.

During a 90-minute session to determine if more intervention was necessary, AliKhan referenced a nonprofit’s assertion that it had been unable to access funds since the White House Office of Management and Budget told agencies to pause funding.

The small nonprofit assists West Virginians with disabilities in living independently. Ordinarily, it receives funds from the Department of Health and Human Services on an as-needed basis to cover immediate expenses, although the organization’s name was kept confidential in court documents.

Despite being able to access the funding portal after AliKhan temporarily halted the freeze last Wednesday, the nonprofit reported to the court that funds were still inaccessible as of Sunday.

Consequently, the organization had to let go one of its five employees, decrease its services, and faces closure if the funding issue is not resolved, according to their statement.

This statement was included among several submitted by a coalition of advocacy organizations disputing the Office of Management and Budget’s order instructing federal agencies to pause grants and loans to align with President Donald Trump’s priorities.

This funding freeze is also being contested by 22 states, primarily led by Democrats, along with the District of Columbia, who argue that it could severely impact their finances.

A federal judge in Rhode Island had issued a temporary restraining order against the administration on Friday, and AliKhan followed suit on Monday.

The vaguely-worded memo from the Office of Management and Budget was revoked the day after AliKhan temporarily blocked its implementation, pending a hearing for both parties on Monday.

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt maintained that Trump’s directive to freeze funding is still in effect, which continues to lead to confusion regarding the memo’s status.

AliKhan interpreted Leavitt’s comments as a suggestion that the revoked memo remains in effect.

“The rescission, if it can be labeled as such, appears to be merely a superficially disguised effort to prevent this court from providing relief,” she stated in her order.

Daniel Schwei, one of the attorneys for the Justice Department, disagreed. He argued that the memo was withdrawn because it had become a “side show,” but emphasized that the overall goal of scrutinizing spending, in line with Trump’s executive orders and the discretionary authority of agencies, remains valid and legally sound.

“The key issue in this case is whether the president and his advisors can instruct agencies to pause funding in accordance with their legitimate statutory powers to ensure compliance with the president’s priorities,” he asserted. “The answer must be `yes.’”

Kevin Friedl, an attorney representing Democracy Forward, which stands for a coalition of advocacy groups, explained that their challenge is against the administration’s “blanket freeze.”

“And the evidence clearly indicates that this freeze is still in effect,” Friedl claimed.

(This article has been updated to include additional information.)