A legal dispute has erupted concerning the freeze on refugee resettlement, resulting in new litigation seeking to challenge the legality of Trump’s suspension, halt its implementation, and restore funding related to refugees. This legal action has been initiated by Church World Service, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and nine individuals directly impacted by the freeze. Among those affected is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo whose family had sold off all their belongings in preparation for departure, only to have their flight canceled shortly before their scheduled departure date. The State Department has yet to provide a response to the request for comment from USA TODAY.
This lawsuit mirrors the legal battles that unfolded in 2017, when federal courts intervened in response to a ban imposed by Trump targeting refugees from Muslim-majority countries and those seeking family reunification. Throughout Trump’s first term, he drastically reduced the annual cap on refugee admissions, leading to historic lows of approximately 15,000. Consequently, funding cuts were implemented, causing severe operational challenges or closures for various U.S. resettlement organizations.
Former President Joe Biden subsequently reinstated the refugee resettlement program, resulting in the resettlement of over 100,000 refugees in fiscal year 2024, marking a 30-year high. Mark Hetfield, the President of HIAS, disclosed that at the time of the executive order being issued, nearly 44,000 admissions had already been approved out of the 125,000 ceiling set by Biden for the current fiscal year.
While the refugee program has traditionally received bipartisan support and has successfully resettled over 3 million refugees fleeing persecution since 1980, Trump consistently portrayed it as a security risk and a burden on communities. Advocates, however, counter these claims, highlighting that refugees admitted through the program undergo extensive vetting processes, including security checks, medical examinations, and interviews, before being resettled with the assistance of local agencies. Moreover, a federal study revealed that over a 15-year period, refugees contributed $123 billion more to the government than they cost.
The lawsuit also aims to reinstate federal funding for refugee resettlement organizations, arguing that the changes initiated by Trump have left these organizations financially strained, making it challenging for them to sustain their operations and continue serving vulnerable refugees, who are at the heart of their missions.
