Dear Friends,

Yesterday, February 25th, U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead issued a preliminary injunction from the bench, blocking the Trump Administration’s indefinite refugee ban and funding freeze following a hearing in Pacito v. Trump, the first lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s refugee ban executive order. 

The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by leading refugee resettlement organizations and our partners in the faith community including the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) on behalf of Church World Service, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), and nine impacted individual plaintiffs.

The Justice Department’s attorneys have asked Judge Whitehead to pause his order while the administration considers an appeal, and the judge said he would decide on that question when he issues his formal written order.

Join NRCAT today in asking Congress to urge the Trump Administration to abide by these recent court orders and immediately resume refugee resettlement and reimburse resettlement agencies for life-saving reception services for refugees. We invite you to use NRCAT’s e-advocacy platform here to send messages to your Members of Congress today.

Turning away torture victims at our border and blocking the entry of refugees who are simply seeking shelter and safety from the warlords and oligarchs of our time is not a sign of democracy. It is a sign of national moral decay. It is time for the Trump Administration to realize that immigrants and refugees are and always have been a critical part of the national fabric, and to act accordingly.

Thank you for taking action today!

In community,

Rev. Ron Stief
NRCAT Executive Director