A federal judge has ordered a halt to a controversial Trump administration initiative that would establish a multibillion-dollar compensation program for individuals claiming they were harmed by what supporters describe as government "weaponization", Reuters reported.

On Friday, Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a preliminary injunction preventing the creation of the proposed $1.776 billion fund while litigation over its legality continues. She also gave the administration seven days to submit a sworn declaration affirming that the program will not move forward.

The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of individuals and organizations who argue they were subjected to political targeting by the Trump administration and would be excluded from receiving compensation under the proposed mechanism.

During proceedings, Brinkema expressed concern over the government's plan to allocate public funds to a narrowly defined group of recipients.

The judge said it was “problematic” that the administration sought to set up a pool of taxpayer money to favor “an extremely small group” that many Americans feel engaged in “unacceptable” conduct.

Source:Websites