Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration's Suspension of Refugee Program

A federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked the Trump administration's effort to suspend the United States's refugee program on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead ruled that President Trump's executive order, which halted refugee processing for 90 days, disrupted the system Congress established for admitting refugees. The judge's preliminary injunction halts key provisions of Trump's order, which the administration justified as a temporary pause to determine whether refugee admissions align with U.S. national interests. The lawsuit, filed by Church World Service, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society on Feb. 10, also challenged the administration's abrupt termination of funding for resettlement agencies. Lawyers for the Justice Department have asked the judge to stay his order while the administration considers an appeal.