WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court in the United States said on Tuesday that the Trump administration can pause refugee resettlement efforts while litigation over the freeze is pending.
Refugees who are conditionally approved for entry by January 20 will be exempt from the pause, according to a panel of three judges on the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals.
Trump, a Republican, immediately halted refugee resettlement after taking office on January 20, claiming that the program must ensure that refugees admitted to the United States “appropriately assimilate” and that taxpayer resources are not wasted.
He requested that the secretaries of Homeland Security and State submit a report within 90 days to determine whether it should be restarted.
In late February, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked President Trump’s refugee program freeze. The same judge ordered the Trump administration on Monday to stop terminating contracts with groups that help with refugee resettlement and to reinstate cancelled agreements.
The funding freeze affects organizations that provide essential services to refugees in the United States, including housing and job placement.
Former Democratic President Joe Biden gradually increased refugee admissions during his four-year term, with 100,000 accepted in fiscal year 2024.
As of mid-January, another 100,000 refugees had been fully vetted and were ready to travel to the United States, a senior Biden administration official told Reuters.
