A federal appeals court on Tuesday refused to immediately halt a judge's order requiring the Trump administration to release billions of dollars in federal grants and loans that remain frozen even after a court blocked a sweeping pause on federal funding.

The appeals panel’s decision, for now, leaves the matter to Rhode Island-based U.S. District Judge John McConnell, who last month ordered the Trump administration to lift a sweeping spending freeze on federal programs. On Monday he issued a second sharply-worded order after reviewing claims that officials were defying his initial command.