Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented. A group of migrants had been scheduled to be flown out of the country, according to people familiar with the matter.

At her first ever news conference on January 28, White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt defended the freezing of federal grants. "I think this is a very reasonable measure," she said, adding that it would help the Trump administration become "good stewards for tax dollars."