Trump Administration Disputes Move to Restore Refugee Services Contracts

The Trump administration has filed an appeal against a federal court ruling requiring the State Department to reinstate contracts with nonprofits dedicated to refugee resettlement.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead of the Western District of Washington ruled that the cancellation of these contracts by the administration was unlawful. He emphasized that while the government has significant discretion in managing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, this does not grant it the authority to abandon its statutory responsibilities.

Judge Whitehead ordered the government to submit a compliance report by March 31, demonstrating adherence to his ruling.

In response to the ruling, the U.S. Department of Justice submitted an appeal, which will be reviewed by the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

Melissa Keaney, leading attorney for the International Refugee Assistance Project representing the challenging organization, stated that the government must fulfill its moral and legal obligations by reinstating funding for the critical program. She remarked, “The government’s efforts to dismantle the refugee resettlement system are unlawful and harming refugees whose lives have been thrown into limbo.”

The recent injunction followed an ignored verbal directive issued by Judge Whitehead last month, which instructed the administration to restore refugee processing services promptly.

Remarkably, the State Department terminated contracts with several religious organizations that offer refugee services just a day after this verbal order. The legal action originated from a lawsuit filed by the International Refugee Assistance Project on behalf of multiple organizations, including Church World Service and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). It also includes nine affected individuals, including refugees whose resettlement flights were canceled, a local refugee sponsor, and families seeking reunification.

This legal battle traces back to an executive order from President Donald Trump, which suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and involved withholding funds allocated by Congress for these vital services. The order mandated that officials at the State Department and U.S. Department of Homeland Security report every 90 days to the White House about refugee resettlement, allowing the president to decide if it aligns with U.S. interests.