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100 Days of Defending Refuge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 29, 2025

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Spencer Tilger | media@refugeerights.org

100 DAYS OF DEFENDING REFUGE

IRAP Experts Available to Discuss Administration’s Attacks on Immigrants and the Rule of Law

(New York, NY) – This week marks one hundred days since the inauguration of President Trump, a period defined by attacks on the rights of immigrants and refugees and an undermining of the rule of law that protects all Americans. Civil society organizations like the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) have been at the forefront of the legal fight to uphold our democracy and basic liberties. 

In Pacito v. Trump, the case challenging the Trump administration’s suspension of the U.S. refugee program, IRAP’s litigation efforts have secured a string of federal court victories and injunctions ordering the government to restore funding to refugee-serving agencies and continue processing approved cases. While the government has routinely failed to fully comply with these orders, IRAP continues to hold the government accountable in court and preserve this vital lifeline for refugees around the world. 

The following is a statement from Sharif Aly, President of IRAP:

“It has been 100 days of nonstop attacks on people seeking safety, but it has also been 100 days of IRAP and our community defending refuge and the American values of welcome and freedom. We are proud to be a bulwark against the tide of xenophobic authoritarianism that threatens everything that makes America great.

Our litigation efforts have reopened processing for thousands of refugees whose lives were turned upside down by the President’s refugee ban, and when they arrive in this country, I have no doubt they will become cherished neighbors and pillars of their communities like so many before them.

However, we need support outside the courts as well. An immigration agenda consisting of forced disappearances without due process, the punishment of free speech, and the trampling of legal norms is not just an attack on immigrants, but is the precursor for a larger crackdown on any group the government disagrees with. We are at an inflection point in our society and it is critical that everyone join us to speak out in defense of immigrants and our democracy. Together, we can reverse the backslide and rebuild an immigration system based on our shared humanity.”

IRAP experts are available to discuss the following topics:

  • IRAP’s lawsuit in defense of refugee resettlement: Melissa Keaney, Senior Supervising Attorney, Litigation (full bio here)
  • Impact of administration actions on IRAP clients and their communities: Stephanie Gee, Senior Director of U.S. Legal Services (full bio here)
  • America’s promise to protect Afghan allies: Adam Bates, Senior Supervisory Policy Counsel (full bio here)
  • U.S. Border and Western Hemisphere migration: Hannah Flamm, Interim Senior Director of Policy (full bio here)
  • Immigrant detention at Guantánamo Bay: Kimberly Grano, Staff Attorney, Litigation (full bio here)
  • Refugees and immigrants with disabilities: Elham Youssefian, Director of Disability Inclusion and Accessibility (full bio here)
  • Climate displacement: Ama Francis, Climate Director (full bio here)
  • IRAP’s work with refugee-led organizations abroad: Bahati Kanyamanza, Global Partnerships Director (full bio here)

To schedule an interview, email media@refugeerights.org

Additional Resources:

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.

www.refugeerights.org

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