A coalition of refugee resettlement organizations sued President Trump Monday over an government order from the primary day of his administration that indefinitely suspends the U.S. Refugee Help Program (USRAP).
The go well with challenges not simply the suspension however the abrupt cutoff of funding to people who support refugees, together with for work performed upfront of Trump taking workplace.
Trump’s order bars processing of these fleeing persecution and hazard for 90 days as administration officers examine whether or not accepting refugees is “in the interests of the United States,” leaving it to the president to find out when to take action.
“President Trump cannot override the will of Congress with the stroke of a pen,” Melissa Keaney, an legal professional with Worldwide Refugee Help Challenge, which is representing the resettlement teams, mentioned in an announcement.
“The United States has a moral and legal obligation to protect refugees, and the longer this illegal suspension continues, the more dire the consequences will be. Refugees and the families and communities waiting to welcome them have been thrown into indefinite limbo and the resettlement agencies ready to serve them don’t know if they can keep the lights on if the government continues to withhold critical funding. This could decimate the USRAP, carrying consequences for years to come.”
The go well with was filed on behalf of Church World Service, Lutheran Neighborhood Companies Northwest, and HIAS, previously the Hebrew Immigrant Assist Society.
“The American Jewish community owes its very existence to those times when the United States opened its doors to refugees fleeing anti-Semitism and persecution,” Mark Hetfield, HIAS’s president, mentioned in an announcement.
“HIAS will stand for welcome, rise up for what we consider in, and battle this refugee ban in courtroom.”
9 refugees are additionally listed as plaintiffs within the go well with, representing these reduce off from accessing this system, a bunch that features many refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan
The go well with argues the suspension violates quite a few legal guidelines, together with the U.S. Refugee Act and the Administrative Procedures Act. It additionally argues Trump has circumvented the Structure’s mandate on the separation of powers.
The go well with additionally challenges Trump’s withholding of funds to the organizations which is spent on serving to refugees get established in the USA.
“National faith-based nonprofit organizations that receive a majority of their funding from the federal government—are already struggling to keep their lights on and their staff employed, let alone continue to serve the vulnerable refugees at the core of their missions,” they wrote within the go well with.
“Since receiving the Suspension Notices, the Plaintiff Resettlement Agencies have not received reimbursements for millions of dollars they are owed from the State Department for work performed in November and December 2024, well before the Suspension Notices and the Foreign Aid Executive Order issued.”
