Trump administration mandated to admit approximately 12,000 refugees, as per court order
Trump Admin's Refugee Suspension Halted By Court Order
Donald Trump's attempt to indefinitely halt the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has been thwarted once again, this time by U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead.
On Monday, Whitehead ordered the administration to admit approximately 12,000 refugees into the United States, following disputes over the interpretation of a federal appeals court ruling.
During a hearing last week, the administration argued that it should only process 160 refugees and was likely to appeal any orders requiring them to admit thousands. However, Whitehead dismissed the government's analysis, stating that it required more than just reading between the lines of the 9th Circuit's ruling.
In his ruling, Whitehead wrote, "This Court will not entertain the Government's result-oriented rewriting of a judicial order that clearly says what it says." He added, "The Government is free to seek further clarification from the Ninth Circuit. But the Government is not free to disobey statutory and constitutional law - and the direct orders of this Court and the Ninth Circuit - while it seeks such clarification."
Under Trump's second term, he issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, suspending USRAP. This decision sparked a lawsuit from individual refugees and refugee aid organizations, who claimed that their resettlement efforts had been halted and that the administration had frozen their funding for processing applications.
Whitehead's initial ruling, made in 2025, blocked enforcement of the order, stating that it amounted to an "effective nullification of congressional will" in establishing the refugee admissions program. However, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially put Whitehead's decision on hold in March, finding that the Trump administration was likely to win the case given the president's broad authority to determine who may enter the country.
However, the appeals court also noted that the government should continue processing those who had already been approved for travel to the U.S., relying on promises made by the federal government that they would be admitted. Whitehead's order applies to any refugees who had been approved to come to the U.S. and had established travel plans, regardless of when that travel was scheduled for.
The court has ordered the administration to resume processing the cases of the protected refugees within the next seven days. The government has also been directed to facilitate the admission of those refugees whose clearances, including medical and security authorizations, have not yet lapsed.
The ongoing legal challenge to Trump's suspension of USRAP is part of a broader battle over immigration policies. The Trump administration has also appealed court rulings revoking certain immigration statuses, indicating continued contention in this area.
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- In Seattle, temperatures are expected to rise to the high 70s on Tuesday, offering a warmer alternative to the cool weather experienced recently.
- The government's policy-and-legislation regarding jobs and transportation might be impacted by the ongoing legal challenge to Trump's suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
- The general news in Seattle includes the reopening of the Hood Canal Bridge after an emergency closure, as well as a new issue that has emerged as the top problem in the state, according to a survey.
- Following the court order, the government has been directed to resume processing the cases of protected refugees within the next seven days and facilitate the admission of those refugees whose medical and security clearances have not yet lapsed, which could potentially affect the city's transportation system, such as Sea-Tac Airport.
