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2mo ago

Trump Faces Lawsuit Over Suspension of U.S. Refugee Program

Refugee organizations and individuals challenge the legality of President Trump's executive order halting resettlement and freezing funding.

Volunteer Tyler Lowe-Thorpe, a Marquette freshman, assists Burmese refugee middle and high school students attending the Myanmar Learning Center program at Jackson Park Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI. on Feb. 8, 2025.
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Activists hold a banner during a pro-refugee demonstration organized by HIAS outside the U.S. Capitol, Sept. 14, 2017. (Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)
People protest against planned Trump administration cuts to the U.S. refugee resettlement program, in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

Overview

  • A coalition of refugee organizations and nine individuals filed a federal lawsuit in Washington State against President Trump's indefinite suspension of the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program (USRAP).
  • The lawsuit argues that the suspension violates U.S. law, including the Refugee Act and the Administrative Procedures Act, and exceeds the president's executive authority.
  • The executive order, issued on Trump's first day in office, halted refugee admissions for 90 days and froze federal funding for resettlement organizations and related programs.
  • Refugees and their families, including those from Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been left in limbo, with many experiencing severe personal and financial hardships.
  • Resettlement agencies warn that the funding freeze jeopardizes their ability to assist refugees and could have long-term impacts on the U.S. refugee system.