A federal judge in Seattle has dealt a significant blow to President Trump’s refugee policy, ordering the reinstatement of terminated contracts with refugee resettlement agencies and blocking efforts to suspend program funding.
Key Insights
- Judge Jamal Whitehead ruled that the Trump administration’s termination of refugee resettlement contracts was unlawful and violated statutory obligations
- The court ordered the government to restore funding to refugee agencies, including HIAS, Church World Service, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest
- The ruling maintains the nationwide preliminary injunction against the President’s January executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
- A separate appeals court ruling allows refugees conditionally approved before the executive order to enter the U.S.
Judge Blocks Trump’s Refugee Program Suspension
U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead has partially blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program by issuing a preliminary injunction reinstating terminated refugee resettlement contracts. In his ruling, Judge Whitehead found the government’s decision to terminate agreements with refugee resettlement agencies unlawful, determining that such action breached statutory responsibilities outlined by Congress for maintaining a functioning refugee system.
The case, Pacito v. Trump, was filed in response to President Trump’s January executive order suspending refugee admissions. After the court issued a preliminary injunction against the order on February 25, Secretary of State Marco Rubio began terminating contracts with resettlement agencies just 24 hours later. This timing raised serious concerns with the court about potential attempts to circumvent judicial authority.
"Ruling came during a hearing over a lawsuit brought by a group of nonprofits that receive federal funds. The nonprofits provide social services for newly-arrived refugees. A judge issued an injunction ordering the Trump administration to reinstate contracts with the nonprofits." https://t.co/kdAQnqRM6z
— Frankie Crisostomo (@FrancCrist) March 25, 2025
Refugee Organizations Celebrate Legal Victory
Several refugee assistance organizations, including HIAS, Church World Service, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest, brought the lawsuit alongside nine individuals affected by the suspension. These organizations argued that terminating the resettlement contracts severely impacted their ability to provide services to vulnerable refugees and undermined Congressional intent for maintaining a sustainable refugee resettlement system.
“The Jewish community is all-too-familiar with what happens when countries turn their commitments to refugees, and that’s why HIAS will keep fighting in court for the lives and the safety of displaced people around the world,” said Mark Hetfield.
Judge Whitehead emphasized the serious nature of his ruling while acknowledging its necessity, stating: “The Court recognizes that such relief is extraordinary but concludes it is necessary to prevent permanent damage and preserve the status quo while the parties litigate the merits of this lawsuit.” The court rejected the government’s argument that these terminations were merely contract disputes beyond judicial jurisdiction.
Separate Appeals Court Ruling Impacts Refugee Entry
A separate but related ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted part of an earlier preliminary injunction against Trump’s refugee program suspension. This ruling determined that while the administration can suspend the approval of new refugees entering the U.S., it must allow those conditionally accepted before the suspension to proceed with entry. The decision referenced a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that upheld President Trump’s travel ban from several mostly Muslim countries.
“While the Government enjoys significant discretion in administering USRAP, that discretion does not extend to abandoning statutory obligations or rendering the program effectively inoperative. The Government’s sudden termination of decades-old agreements without reasoned explanation likely constitutes arbitrary and capricious action that must be set aside,” said U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead.
The Trump administration cited “record levels of migration” and the strain on cities and communities to “absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees” as justification for the executive order suspending the program. However, the court determined that these concerns did not override statutory obligations established by Congress for maintaining refugee resettlement infrastructure, which the judge found was being effectively dismantled through contract terminations.
Sources:
- Judge blocks Trump bid to suspend refugee funding, in legal victory for Jewish group HIAS
- Federal Judge Questions Timing of Termination of Resettlement Agency Contracts and Orders Government to Update Court on Restoration of Refugee Processing
- Appeals court allows Trump administration to suspend approval of new refugees amid lawsuit
- Judge Orders Trump Administration to Reinstate Terminated Refugee Resettlement Contracts | The Epoch Times
