Federal court temporarily blocks Trump admin plan to suspend refugee resettlement program

A federal court on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from suspending a refugee resettlement program. 

The ruling came during a court hearing over a lawsuit brought by a group of nonprofits that receive federal funds under a congressional law. The nonprofits provide a range of social services for newly-arrived refugees in the U.S. 

On Monday, a judge in Seattle issued an injunction ordering the Trump administration to reinstate its contracts with refugee agencies. Tuesday’s ruling came from the three-judge panel Ninth Circuit court, which directs the administration to continue to process applications that started the process prior to Jan. 20.

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A federal court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from suspending a refugee resettlement program.  (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

“The motion is denied to the extent the district court’s preliminary injunction order applies to individuals who were conditionally approved for refugee status by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services before January 20, 2025,” the order states. “Executive Order No. 14163 does not purport to revoke the refugee status of individuals who received that status under the United States Refugee Admissions Program prior to January 20, 2025. In all other respects, the district court’s February 28, 2025, preliminary injunction order is stayed.”

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee resettlement and ordering the Department of Homeland Security to report back in 90 days on whether resuming resettlement would be in the interests of the U.S.

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People gather outside the U.S. District Court after a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to halt the nation’s refugee admissions system in Seattle.  (AP Photo/Eugene Johnson)

“The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees,” Trump said in his Jan. 20 order.

The case had been brought by refugee groups, including International Refugee Assistance Project, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest and individual refugees. The groups argued their ability to provide services to refugees had been damaged by the Trump order.

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The order was one of several attempting to limit both illegal and legal immigration, including the use of parole to allow in migrants by the Biden administration. 

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Trump limited refugee resettlement in his first term, but President Joe Biden made moves to take in more refugees, including by increasing the refugee cap.