A Coalition of Refugee Resettlement Organizations Sues the Trump Administration Over Indefinite Pause of Refugee Resettlement Program
On Monday, a coalition of some of the nation’s largest refugee resettlement organizations filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its indefinite pause of the refugee resettlement program. The suit, filed in federal court in Seattle, seeks to swiftly restart the program and restore federal funding to organizations that assist refugees in resettling in the United States. This legal action marks the first official challenge to the Trump administration’s suspension of the refugee system, which has left thousands of refugees in limbo and disrupted a decades-old bipartisan program that had previously enjoyed widespread support.
The lawsuit argues that the pause, enacted by President Trump shortly after he took office, has caused widespread harm to refugee families, resettlement organizations, and local communities that rely on these programs. Rick Santos, head of the Church World Service, one of the organizations involved in the lawsuit, emphasized the devastating impact of the executive actions. “The impact of these executive actions has been sweeping and harmful for our refugee clients, our staff, and our local faith community partners,” Santos said in a statement. “These executive actions have abandoned refugee families both abroad and those who are already a part of our American communities.” One particularly poignant example is that of two Afghan parents living in Massachusetts whose four children were scheduled to arrive in January but now face uncertainty about whether or when they will be reunited with their family.
The refugee resettlement program has a long history in the United States, having operated successfully under both Republican and Democratic administrations for decades. The program allowed tens of thousands of refugees from countries like Burma and Syria to find safety in the U.S. each year, after undergoing rigorous vetting processes, including interviews, security checks, and medical screenings. However, this changed dramatically when President Trump took office in 2017. His administration implemented a series of policies aimed at cracking down on immigration, including a significant reduction in refugee admissions. By the final year of his first term, Trump had proposed a record-low cap of 15,000 refugee admissions. The program saw a resurgence under President Joe Biden, who increased the cap and allowed over 100,000 refugees to enter the U.S. in the last year alone, marking the highest total in decades.
The Trump administration’s recent halt on refugee resettlement has had an immediate and far-reaching impact. More than 10,000 refugees were in the process of traveling to the U.S. when the pause took effect, and many of their flights were subsequently canceled. One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is a 22-year-old refugee from Congo who spent two years navigating the application process only to have his travel plans canceled indefinitely. His story highlights the human cost of the pause, as he and countless others are left in a state of uncertainty, unsure of how to rebuild their lives in their current locations or how long they will remain there. Melissa Keaney, a lawyer with the International Refugee Assistance Project, described the situation as “devastating” for refugees who were on the brink of starting new lives in the U.S.
In addition to seeking the restart of the refugee resettlement program, the lawsuit also aims to restore federal funding to resettlement organizations, which was abruptly halted on January 24, just four days after Trump took office. These organizations rely on federal funds to provide essential services, such as housing, food, and employment support, to refugees as they adjust to life in the U.S. Without this funding, many organizations have been forced to scale back their operations, leaving thousands of refugees without the support they need to thrive. Santos highlighted the challenges his organization, Church World Service, has faced, noting that more than half of its U.S.-based staff had to be furloughed due to the funding pause. “We have more than 4,000 refugee clients who have arrived in our communities within 90 days of the ban taking effect, who we are now struggling to provide the core services that they are entitled to under U.S. law,” Santos explained. “These services ensure they have safe and affordable housing, medical care, and employment support so that they can get a great start and quickly become contributing members of their new communities.”
The lawsuit underscores the broader implications of the Trump administration’s actions on refugee policy and the lives of those affected. While President Biden had previously sought to revive the program, the recent pause has reignited concerns about the stability and future of refugee resettlement in the U.S. The plaintiffs argue that the indefinite suspension of the program violates the spirit of the Refugee Act of 1980 and the values of compassion and inclusivity that have long defined America’s approach to refugees. As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of thousands of refugees hangs in the balance, and the outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for the future of refugee resettlement in the United States.
In conclusion, the indefinite pause of the refugee resettlement program has created a crisis for refugees, resettlement organizations, and local communities across the country. The lawsuit filed by the coalition of resettlement organizations seeks to address the harm caused by the Trump administration’s actions and ensure that the U.S. continues to uphold its tradition of providing safety and opportunity to those fleeing persecution and violence. This case serves as a reminder of the human cost of political decisions and the urgent need for a fair and compassionate approach to refugee policy.
