A federal judge in Seattle has issued a preliminary injunction halting President Donald Trump's executive order that suspended refugee admissions and federal funding for resettlement agencies. District Judge Jamal Whitehead delivered the injunction following a hearing that lasted about an hour.
Whitehead stated that the president's actions effectively nullified congressional will in establishing the nation's refugee admissions program. While acknowledging the president's discretion to suspend refugee admissions, Whitehead emphasized that this authority is not unlimited.
The case was brought forward by HIAS, Church World Service, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest, as well as several individual refugees impacted by the order. The Justice Department defended the suspension, arguing that it was necessary for the interests of the United States.
Department of Justice attorney August Flentje highlighted the financial burden of processing over 600,000 individuals in the refugee program, leading to the decision to reevaluate the process.
Trump's executive order, signed on his first day back in office, indefinitely suspended all refugee admissions and ceased federal funding for resettlement agencies. The order mandated a review of the refugee program and specified that resettlement should only resume if it is deemed to be in the national interest, a move criticized by opponents as a de facto refugee ban.
