U.S. District Judge Amir Ali denied the Department of Justice's request to push the midnight deadline by which the Trump administration needs to pay more than $1.9 billion in foreign aid. The case is now in the hands of a panel of three appellate judges – each nominated to the bench by Democratic presidents – who will decide whether to issue an emergency stay of the deadline.

President Donald Trump's administration said in a court filing late Tuesday night that it "cannot" meet a federal judge's 11:59 p.m. Wednesday deadline for releasing frozen funds to foreign aid contractors and grant recipients,

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali grew impatient during a hearing with a lack of clear responses from the administration’s lawyers.