The immediate halt is ethically imperative for several reasons. First, the stakes are catastrophically high - a potential national economic collapse affecting millions of people cannot be risked on a 24-hour patch attempt with uncertain success probability. Second, the biased algorithm is already causing harm to vulnerable low-income families, and allowing it to continue even briefly perpetuates injustice. Third, transparency and accountability are fundamental ethical principles in AI systems - attempting to fix the problem secretly prioritizes institutional reputation over public trust and safety. While public exposure of the flaw will be uncomfortable, it enables proper oversight, builds long-term credibility, and allows affected parties to take protective measures. The precautionary principle strongly favors the certain prevention of catastrophe over a risky gamble.