SEATTLE (AP) — On Monday, a judge ruled that the Trump administration must allow approximately 12,000 refugees into the country as part of an injunction partly restricting the president’s attempts to
put the country’s refugee admission program on hold
.
The order
From U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead after hearing arguments from the Justice Department alongside refugee resettlement organizations about interpreting a
federal appeals court ruling
That considerably refined an initial ruling made by Whitehead.
Last week, during a hearing, the administration stated that they should be responsible for processing merely 160 refugees into the country and indicated their intention to probably challenge an order mandating them to accept thousands more. However, the judge rejected the government’s interpretation, commenting that such an approach necessitates “more than just inferring from the lines” within the 9th Circuit’s decision; instead, he argued it involves “concocting additional wording that doesn’t actually exist.”
This Court will not consider the Government’s attempt to reinterpret a judicial order in a manner driven by desired outcomes when the order explicitly states what it means,” Judge Whitehead stated on Monday. “Of course, the Government has the right to request additional clarity from the Ninth Circuit. However, they do not have permission to disregard statutory and constitutional laws—or the explicit directives issued by this Court and the Ninth Circuit—while pursuing such clarification.
The refugee program, established by Congress in 1980, serves as a pathway for lawful immigration to the U.S. for individuals who have been forced to flee due to conflict, environmental disasters, or oppression—a procedure that typically spans several years and includes rigorous screening processes. This differs from asylum, where those who have recently entered the U.S. may apply to stay after claiming they face threats of persecution back at home.
When he started his second term on January 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to halt the program.
That triggered
a lawsuit
By individual refugees whose attempts at resettlement in the U.S. were stopped, along with significant refugee assistance organizations claiming they’ve had to let employees go. These groups mentioned that the administration has suspended their funds allocated for handling refugee applications abroad and offering help like temporary housing support for individuals already within the country.
Whitehead, appointed by ex-President Joe Biden in 2023,
halted implementation of Trump’s directive
,stating that it effectively rendered the congressional decision to establish the country’s refugee admission program as inconsequential.
In March, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals mostly suspended Whitehead’s ruling, concluding that the administration probably would prevail in the lawsuit due to the president’s extensive power to decide who can be admitted into the nation.
However, the appellate court also stated that the government must keep facilitating the entry of individuals who were already granted permission to travel to the U.S., many of whom had significantly altered their circumstances overseas by disposing of assets or leaving their jobs. The court noted that these applicants had depended on assurances from the federal administration promising them admission.
The appellate court stated that the government should keep handling refugees with pre-arranged and verifiable travel arrangements set for arrival in the U.S. prior to January 20th. The Justice Department reported that this group includes roughly 12,000 refugees.
Last week, during a hearing about interpreting and implementing the appeals court decision, Justice Department attorney David Kim stated that the government understood this as indicating that only refugees with plans to enter the U.S. within two weeks following Trump’s executive order should undergo processing. The department noted that very few refugees fit this criterion—only around 160 individuals.
The judge along with attorneys from refugee resettlement groups did not align with the government’s interpretation. They pointed out that the 9th Circuit’s directive made no mention of a two-week timeframe. According to Whitehead, the ruling ought to cover all refugees who were cleared to enter the U.S. and had set up their travel arrangements—regardless of the planned departure date.
Within the coming seven days, Whitehead directed the administration to command agency offices and personnel, encompassing U.S. embassies, to restart handling the matters concerning refugees safeguarded by the judicial directive. Additionally, he instructed the authorities to promptly undertake measures ensuring the admittance into the U.S. for these refugees, provided their approvals such as medical and security checks remain valid.
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