Seattle, WA—Today, three national and local faith-based refugee-serving agencies and nine individuals won a preliminary injunction in the case of Pacito v. Trump. The ruling came in 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 USRAP by withholding critical, congressionally-appropriated funding for refugee processing and services. The litigation, filed in the Western District of Washington, asked the court to declare the EO illegal, to enjoin all implementation of the EO, and to restore refugee-related funding.
The lawsuit was filed by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) on behalf of Church World Service (CWS), HIAS, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW)—whose ability to provide critical services to refugees in the United States and abroad has been severely inhibited by the suspension of USRAP and funding, as well as impacted individual plaintiffs, including refugees who had their travel to the United States canceled on short notice, families hoping to reunite after years of separation, and a local community sponsor.
In response to today’s ruling, Rick Santos, President and CEO of Church World Service issued the following remarks:
We came here today because the unlawful actions of this administration have left thousands of our refugee clients without access to the critical services they need. We feel validated by today’s preliminary injunction, but know there are miles to go before refugees, separated families, and our communities can be reassured that the United States remains a nation of welcome.
Many of those impacted by President Trump’s actions are refugees who have already arrived in our communities. Upon arriving in the United States, they are legally entitled to employment services, and social support so that they can get on their feet and become self-sufficient .
The United States has long been a beacon of hope to people fleeing violence and persecution. For the displaced, we still remain, as President Reagan said decades ago, ‘the shining city on the hill.’ The refugee neighbors we have welcomed into our neighborhoods, congregations and lives have made our communities more vibrant, prosperous and strong.
Leaving behind refugee families our nation pledged to support is an abdication of our values, a failure of our moral leadership, and an abandonment of the faith communities we represent.
For more information, or to speak with CWS, contact media@cwsglobal.org.