A significant legal development unfolded this week as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay on part of a preliminary injunction related to the Trump administration’s suspension of refugee admissions.
#BREAKING: The 9th Circuit has just OVERTURNED a District Judge’s ruling which required President Trump to continue bringing refugees into the country, per Politico
This is a HUGE win!
Trump can now pause ALL “refugee” admissions, as that program has been abused for YEARS… pic.twitter.com/e6PKsIa2DN
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 25, 2025
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This follows a series of legal actions stemming from President Trump’s executive order halting the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) as part of his broader immigration agenda.
On the day he was sworn back into office, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders consistent with his policy agenda, one of which was Executive Order 14163.
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This order, titled “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program, suspended the USRAP until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States.”
The order was set to take effect on January 27, 2025, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis, jointly determined by the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security.
The order also revoked Executive Order 14013, signed by Joe Biden on February 4, 2021, which aimed to “Rebuild and Enhance Programs To Resettle Refugees and Plan for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration.”
The suspension of refugee admissions led several non-profit organizations and individuals to file a lawsuit in the Western District of Washington on February 10, 2025.
The plaintiffs sought a temporary restraining order, a preliminary injunction, and a permanent injunction against the Trump administration’s executive order, claiming it was unlawful and invalid.
A hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion was held on February 25, 2025, before Judge Jamal Whitehead.
The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, granting the motion for a preliminary injunction.
The court’s reasoning focused on the appropriations made by Congress, which were intended for the support of refugees, meaning the Trump administration could not freeze or terminate these funds.
Consequently, the court enjoined the administration from suspending or withholding funds intended for refugee support.
In response, the Trump administration appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and filed an emergency motion for a stay of the preliminary injunction.
The government argued that the trial court lacked authority to compel the administration to admit refugees or pay for contracts and grants.
Briefing on the stay continued through March 18, 2025.
As the case progressed, the administration terminated the refugee-support service grants that had been previously frozen.
The plaintiffs amended their complaint, seeking a supplemental injunction to require the administration to rescind these terminations.
The Trump administration countered, arguing that the plaintiffs should pursue claims regarding the grant terminations in the federal Court of Claims.
On March 19, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court intervened and issued a stay of Judge Whitehead’s preliminary injunction.
LOL I have NEVER seen this before: The Court of Appeals asks the District Court to rule on a pending motion to stay! 1/ pic.twitter.com/ks0l7hIy1z
— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) March 20, 2025
The court’s ruling clarified that the preliminary injunction would not apply to individuals who had been conditionally approved for refugee status prior to January 20, 2025.
The Ninth Circuit ruled that Executive Order 14163 did not revoke the refugee status of individuals who had already been granted refugee status under the USRAP before the Trump administration took office.
The court’s ruling emphasized that the President has broad authority to impose entry restrictions.
Citing a previous case, the Ninth Circuit stated that relevant statutes “exude deference” to the President and grant him “ample power to impose entry restrictions in addition to those elsewhere enumerated in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).”
In an additional development, Judge Whitehead issued a second preliminary injunction on March 17, 2025, which blocked the Trump administration from terminating grants to refugee-support organizations.
The administration promptly filed a Notice of Appeal regarding this second injunction on March 20, 2025.
As of now, the original preliminary injunction, which blocked the administration from implementing the executive order, remains stayed by the Ninth Circuit, while the second injunction concerning the termination of grants is under appeal.
JUST IN: The 9th Circuit has stayed a judge’s order forcing the Trump admin to restart refugee admissions.
The circuit will still require the administration to process refugees conditionally approved before Jan. 20 but new admissions can be paused. https://t.co/xJqGLJWzxy pic.twitter.com/9R44vIj9oe
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 25, 2025
These legal developments mark an ongoing struggle over the Trump administration’s policies on refugee admissions and its authority to halt refugee-related funding and services.
With multiple court orders in play, further motions and appeals are expected as the case moves forward.
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