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Apr 29, 2025

100 Days of Defending Refuge

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. 

Press Release

Apr 12, 2025

Court Orders Government to Comply with Preliminary Injunction in Lawsuit Challenging Refugee Ban

Yesterday, a federal court granted a motion to enforce its prior orders and once again reiterated that the U.S. government must restore processing and admissions for conditionally approved refugees prior to January 20.

Press Release

Mar 25, 2025

9th Circuit of Appeals Rules Trump Administration Must Process and Admit Conditionally Approved Refugees

Today, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit partially denied the government’s motion to stay the first preliminary injunction in Pacito v. Trump, the lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s refugee ban. The court ruled that the injunction will remain in effect for refugees who were conditionally approved as of January 20, 2025 – many of whom were ready to travel to the United States when President Trump suspended the refugee program.

Press Release

Mar 25, 2025

Trump Administration Blocked from Terminating Agreements with Refugee-Serving Agencies 

Yesterday evening, a federal court in Seattle issued a second preliminary injunction in Pacito v. Trump, finding the government’s efforts to terminate its agreements with refugee-serving agencies to be unlawful. The government attempted to terminate these agreements just one day after the court’s previous order to restore refugee processing and funding went into effect.

Press Release

Mar 20, 2025

Law School Chapters Across the United States Advocate for Protections and Humanitarian Commitments for Refugees

“We believe everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to

Blog Post

Mar 11, 2025

Status Report Confirms Government is Undermining Court Ruling to Resume Refugee Processing

Last night, the U.S. government filed a status report in Pacito v. Trump after a federal judge required the defendants to detail their efforts to resume refugee processing in accordance with the court’s preliminary injunction against President Trump’s refugee ban. During last week’s hearing, the government’s attorney was unable to specify a single concrete step the government had taken to comply with the injunction.

Press Release

Mar 4, 2025

Federal Judge Questions Timing of Termination of Resettlement Agency Contracts and Orders Government to Update Court on Restoration of Refugee…

Today, during a hearing in Pacito v. Trump, the court noted that the timing of the federal government’s termination of resettlement agencies’ contracts last week–24 hours after the court stopped the government from implementing President Trump’s refugee ban Executive Order–“raises serious concerns.” The court also ordered the government to file a status report detailing its efforts to resume refugee processing as of Monday, March 10.

Press Release

Mar 1, 2025

Groups Sue Trump Administration to Halt Transfer of Immigrants from U.S. to Guantánamo Bay

Immigrants’ rights advocates sued the Trump administration today to halt the transfer of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay in Cuba under President Trump’s recent order.

Press Release

Feb 25, 2025

Advocates React to Judge Granting Preliminary Injunction in Trump Refugee Ban Challenge 

Today, a federal judge in the Western District of Washington granted a preliminary injunction in Pacito v. Trump, the first lawsuit challenging the suspension of the U.S. refugee resettlement program (USRAP) and the withholding of critical funds to support refugee resettlement. The preliminary injunction means the government cannot enforce President Trump’s unlawful refugee ban and must restore refugee processing and funding. The case was filed by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) on behalf of Church World Service (CWS), HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), and nine impacted individuals.

Press Release

Feb 12, 2025

Groups Sue Trump Administration for Access to Immigrants Sent from U.S. to Guantánamo Bay 

Immigrants’ rights advocates sued the Trump administration today for access to immigrants transferred from the United States to detention at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba under President Trump’s recent order. 

Press Release

Feb 11, 2025

Refugee Resettlement Leaders and Attorneys Discuss New Lawsuit Challenging Trump Suspension of USRAP

On a press call held yesterday, advocates discussed the first lawsuit challenging President Trump's Executive Order (EO) suspending the U.S. refugee resettlement program (USRAP). Plaintiffs – including an impacted refugee, a local sponsor, and refugee resettlement leaders from around the country –  and their attorneys provided an overview of the lawsuit and the disastrous impact the Trump administration’s unlawful actions have had on refugees and the organizations that serve them. The federal litigation, filed yesterday in the Western District of Washington, asks the court to declare the EO illegal, enjoin all implementation of the EO, and restore refugee-related funding. 

Press Release

Feb 10, 2025

New Lawsuit Challenges Trump Suspension of Refugee Resettlement Program and Freeze of Refugee Funding

Today, three national and local refugee-serving agencies and nine individuals filed Pacito v. Trump, the first lawsuit challenging President Trump's Executive Order (EO) suspending the U.S. refugee resettlement program (USRAP), as well as the efforts by the Trump Administration to decimate the USRAP by withholding critical, congressionally-appropriated funding for refugee processing and services.

Press Release