Lawsuit challenges Trump’s suspension of refugee resettlement program, funding

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Three major refugee aid groups have sued the Trump administration over an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump suspending the federal refugee resettlement program and funding for resettlement agencies.

The lawsuit was filed by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) on behalf of Church World Service, the Jewish refugee resettlement agency HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest and “individual plaintiffs including refugees who had their travel to the U.S. canceled on short notice, families hoping to reunite after years of separation, and a local community sponsor,” IRAP said in a press release.

The lawsuit argues that the “suspension, including its chaotic implementation by federal agencies, is unlawful and violates Congress’ authority to make immigration laws, and that the State Department’s stop-work orders violate basic regulatory requirements,” according to IRAP.

The State Department halted all processing of refugee admission cases and froze all arrivals of refugees into the US following the issuance of the executive order on Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) on Jan. 20, which states that refugee arrivals to the United States have been suspended until further notice. The order came into effect on Jan. 27.

All previously scheduled travel of refugees to the US is being cancelled, and no new travel bookings will be made and no new referrals should be made into USRAP, according to the executive order.