On February 25, the Western District of Washington heard oral arguments in Pacito v. Trump, the first lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s refugee ban executive order. Following the hearing, the judge issued a preliminary injunction from the bench blocking the administration’s indefinite refugee ban and funding freeze.
In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead said that the administration’s refugee ban “has crossed the line from permissible discretionary action to effective nullification of congressional will.” Congress passed the Refugee Act — establishing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program — almost 50 years ago. Refugee resettlement has long received broad bipartisan support.
The lawsuit was filed on February 10 by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) on behalf of Church World Service, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), and nine impacted individual plaintiffs, including:
- Pacito, a refugee from the Democratic Republican of the Congo who was approved for resettlement and scheduled for travel with his wife and baby. They had sold all the family’s possessions and given up their home in preparation – but their flight was abruptly cancelled by the refugee ban.
- Ali, a refugee from Iraq who resettled in Dallas, Texas in January 2025 and is statutorily entitled to receive core integration services for the first 90 days after he arrived. Like thousands of others, he has been cut off from that vital support due to the funding freeze.
- Rachel, a U.S. citizen who, along with four others, filed an application to sponsor an Afghan refugee family through the Welcome Corps program before their case was suspended due to the refugee ban.
These plaintiffs represent thousands of refugees, family members, and sponsors who have been directly harmed by Trump’s attacks on refugee resettlement. The Trump administration’s indefinite refugee ban, stop work orders, and failure to reimburse resettlement agencies in a timely manner have had a devastating impact on tens of thousands of refugee families in communities across the country and around the world. Read more stories of those impacted here.
It is imperative that our national leaders abide by court orders and immediately resume refugee resettlement and reimbursements for key refugee programs. Join us in urging members of Congress to stand with refugees and recognize that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program makes our country safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
CONTACT YOUR TWO SENATORS AND ONE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!
On the right-hand side, you can send an email to your Members of Congress.
“My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I urge you and your office to urge the Trump administration to abide by court orders to immediately resume refugee resettlement and reimbursements for vital humanitarian programs — including core Reception and Placement (R&P) services to refugees who have already been resettled across the country. This is a once in a lifetime attack on humanitarian assistance, and amounts to an abdication of American leadership around the world. It is also having a harmful and costly impact on our community – as recently-arrived refugees have been cut off from the services they need to obtain self-sufficiency and thrive in their new homes.
Specifically, I urge you to:
- Urge the Trump administration to abide by recent court orders and immediately resume refugee resettlement and reimburse resettlement agencies for life-saving reception services for refugees. Refugee resettlement brings huge social and economic benefits to our community, and makes our country stronger, safer, and more prosperous.
- Stand with refugees and newcomers in upcoming congressional funding and legislative deliberations. Support funding for key spending accounts (such as the Migration and Refugee Assistance account and Refugee and Entrant Assistance accounts) and include clear authorizing and appropriations language dictating how that funding should be used to best serve refugees, newcomers, and the communities that welcome them. Reject harmful legislation that seeks to divert massive funds to border militarization and mass deportation efforts.
- Publicly express your support for refugees and the bipartisan U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE). Recognize and speak to the impact of the stop work orders and reimbursement freeze on refugee resettlement services and programs in your community. Listen to and collect stories of your constituents who have been impacted.
A growing majority of Americans support welcoming refugees and newcomers. Refugees bring enormous economic and sociocultural benefits to the communities where they resettle; they are small business owners, tax contributors, and job creators. Our community welcomes refugees, and I encourage you to do so as well.”
CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Use the phone tool on the right hand side to call your members of Congress
Sample Call Script:
“My name is [insert name] from [City/Town]. As a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I urge you and your office to stand with refugees and urge President Trump to abide by court orders and swiftly resume refugee resettlement and reimburse organizations for life-saving services.
There are many ways for Congress to take action, through legislation, appropriations, and oversight of the new administration. I urge you to speak out in support of our refugee community. It is not unusual for a new administration to conduct a review of ongoing programs and to work with Congress on setting new priorities. However, halting almost all aid programs and services while such a review is underway is reckless and inhumane.
Refugee resettlement and humanitarian aid programs make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous. I am calling to urge you to publicly express your support for refugees and humanitarian protections and call on President Trump to resume refugee resettlement and end the funding freeze on vital humanitarian aid programs.
My community stands with the most vulnerable – and I encourage you to do so as well!”
SUGGESTED SOCIAL MEDIA
See sample social media guidance and graphics related to the hearing at this link: https://tinyurl.com/RefugeeBanDigitalToolkit
Additional Resources:
- Subscribe to CWS’ Daily State of Play Newsletter
- Stories of Impact: Trump Refugee Ban and Funding Halt
- CWS Statement: Court Ruling Refutes White House Executive Order on Refugee Resettlement with Preliminary Injunction
- Take Action: Tell Congress & The White House that you OPPOSE Trump’s Indefinite Refugee Ban and Executive Actions Targeting Newcomers
- Protect Immigrant Children: Tell Congress & the White House to Stop Deporting Unaccompanied Migrant Children
- CWS Statement: Executive Actions Target Refugees, Cut Off Access to Life-Saving Programs
- Politico: Dems Urge Rubio to Rescue a Refugee Program He Once Supported
- Klobuchar, Colleagues Call on Administration to Clarify Status of Afghan Wartime Allies
- RCUSA policy center
- RCUSA Refugee Ban Policy Fact Sheet
- RCUSA Refugee Ban Talking Points
- RCUSA Refugee Ban Section by Section