Biden-appointed federal judge orders Trump admin to resettle 12K migrants
A federal judge has issued an order to the Trump administration to immediately resettle approximately 12,000 refugees into the United States. This court order partially blocks President Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to halt the refugee admissions program. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead, appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2023, made this decision despite the Trump administration’s stance that they should only process 160 refugees into the country. The administration also indicated that they would likely appeal any order requiring the admission of thousands of refugees.
Judge Whitehead emphasized that the government cannot disobey statutory and constitutional law, as well as the direct orders of the court and the Ninth Circuit. Trump had signed an executive order on his first day in office suspending refugee resettlement and instructing the Department of Homeland Security to assess whether resuming resettlement would be in the national interest within 90 days.
In February, Judge Whitehead had previously blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to suspend refugee admissions into the U.S. in response to a lawsuit filed by refugee aid groups. He deemed Trump’s actions as an “effective nullification of congressional will” concerning the nation’s refugee admissions program.
The court order mandates the Trump administration to resume processing the cases of refugees protected by the court order within the next seven days. Additionally, the government must take immediate steps to facilitate the admission of refugees whose clearances, including medical and security authorizations, have not yet expired.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Signs are seen as Tshishiku Henry, a former refugee and Washington State Delegate for the Refugee Congress, speaks during a rally outside the U.S District Court after a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to halt the nation’s refugee admissions system, Feb. 25, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)
This order highlights the ongoing legal battles surrounding immigration policies and the resettlement of refugees in the United States. It underscores the importance of upholding statutory and constitutional laws in decisions concerning the admission of individuals seeking refuge in the country.
