Overview

• The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Trump administration can temporarily suspend new refugee admissions while litigation continues.
• The court upheld that refugees conditionally approved for entry before January 20, 2025, must still be admitted under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
• This decision partially reverses a lower court's earlier injunction, which required the full reinstatement of the refugee program and funding for resettlement agencies.
• The Trump administration argues that the suspension is within the president's authority under federal immigration law, citing resource constraints and high migration levels.
• Refugee aid organizations maintain that the suspension violates the Refugee Act, disrupts resettlement efforts, and leaves thousands of refugees stranded abroad.