IRAP Explainer on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program Suspension

IRAP has written an explainer providing an in-depth overview of the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) following the January 20, 2025 executive order titled “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program.” The explainer analyzes the implications of halting refugee case processing, as well as the lawsuit that IRAP filed, Pacito v. Trump, challenging the suspension.

IRAP has also created a legal information guide for refugees applicants explaining the suspension here and you can use the language option in the top right of the linked guide to access translations.

You can view and download the Explainer here or below.

This resource is intended for a legal practitioner and legal advocacy audience; it is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you would like more general legal information about refugee resettlement in English, Spanish, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, and other languages, or to request help from IRAP, please use IRAP’s Legal Information website.

This publication was last updated on June 16, 2026 and does not reflect any legal changes since publication. Please see IRAP’s Legal Practitioner Resources page for our latest resources and additional information for legal practitioners.

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Legal Resources

Refugees Challenge Discriminatory Preference for White Afrikaners

Last night, refugees, their family members, and resettlement organizations moved to file an amended complaint in the Western District of Washington in the class action lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s dismantling of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The updated complaint reflects how the government has doubled down on its suspension of refugee processing and admissions over the past fourteen months since President Trump issued his refugee ban Executive Order.

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• Iraqi Direct Access Program
• LCSNW
• Pacito v. Trump
• CWS
• USRAP
• Travel Ban
• Religious Minorities
• HIAS
• Lautenberg Amendment
• Iranian Refugees
• Iranian Religious Minorities
• Iraqi Allies
• Presidential Determination
• Lawsuit
• Wartime Allies
• Refugee Resettlement
• Refugee Ban
• Follow-to-join
• Family Reunification
• Travel Restrictions

USRAP Practice Guide for Legal Practitioners

Note: This resource was published in last updated in July 2024. Since then, in…

Pacito v. Trump: Challenging Trump’s suspension of USRAP

IRAP filed a class action lawsuit representing a group of individual plaintiffs and several refugee resettlement agencies seeking to halt President Trump's Executive Order suspending refugee resettlement.

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• Refugee Ban
• Lawsuit