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Judge Blocks Trump’s Travel Ban Against 80 Refugees

Judge Blocks Trump’s Travel Ban Against 80 Refugees/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge ruled the Trump administration cannot block 80 refugees using the travel ban, affirming refugees’ rights to enter the U.S. despite executive restrictions. The ruling comes amid broader legal battles over refugee admissions and executive immigration powers. Advocates hail the decision as vital protection for vulnerable refugees left stranded worldwide.

Judge Blocks Trump’s Travel Ban Against 80 Refugees

Trump Refugee Ban Quick Looks

  • Judge rules Trump’s travel ban can’t block 80 refugees
  • Ruling asserts travel ban order excludes vetted refugees
  • Refugees affected include U.S. military family members and Afghan allies
  • Case follows legal battles over Trump’s immigration authority
  • Ninth Circuit previously paused parts of refugee injunction
  • Aid groups warn refugees remain in limbo amid legal fight
  • White House yet to comment on latest court ruling
  • Decision signals limits on presidential power over refugee policy

Deep Look

Judge Rules Trump Administration Cannot Use Travel Ban to Block 80 Refugees, Protecting U.S. Admissions Program

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge in Seattle has delivered a legal setback to President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict immigration, ruling that the administration cannot invoke its travel ban to deny entry to 80 refugees who have already undergone extensive vetting.

U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead issued his ruling late Monday, clarifying that Trump’s June executive order, which bars travelers from 12 predominantly Muslim and African nations, explicitly does not apply to refugees.

“In other words, by its plain terms, the Proclamation excludes refugees from its scope,” Whitehead wrote in his opinion.

Whitehead ordered the Trump administration to immediately resume processing the 80 refugees’ cases, signaling that the government’s attempts to extend the travel ban’s reach into the refugee admissions program were unlawful.

Impact on Refugees Awaiting Entry

The 80 affected individuals are among thousands worldwide who have completed rigorous security checks and background screenings, often spanning years. Many of these refugees have direct ties to the United States, including family members of active-duty U.S. military personnel and more than 1,600 Afghans who supported American operations during the war.

Refugee resettlement agencies have warned that the administration’s efforts to halt admissions have left vulnerable people stranded in dangerous conditions, uncertain whether they will ever be allowed into the U.S.

“This ruling recognizes that America’s promise to protect the world’s most vulnerable cannot be so easily cast aside,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is representing the refugees in court.

Whitehead Establishes New Vetting Framework

Beyond halting the administration’s refugee block, Judge Whitehead also outlined a framework for how the federal government should vet refugees from countries covered under the travel ban, as well as individuals from other nations whose entry was suspended when Trump issued his executive order hours after taking office on January 20.

The initial suspension of refugee admissions left thousands in limbo, despite having already passed stringent security vetting. The legal challenge quickly followed, with individual refugees and aid organizations filing suit and later seeking class-action status to broaden the case’s impact.

Legal Challenges and Appeals

Earlier this year, Whitehead ruled that the Trump administration’s freeze on the refugee program likely violated congressional intent, since Congress created and funds the U.S. refugee admissions system. He issued a preliminary injunction in February blocking the government from suspending refugee processing and freezing financial support for refugee services.

However, in March, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put much of Whitehead’s injunction on hold, ruling that the administration was likely to prevail because of the president’s broad legal authority over immigration and border security.

The legal fight is ongoing, and while Monday’s ruling offers a temporary reprieve for the 80 refugees in question, thousands more remain in legal limbo, waiting for clarity on their status.

White House Silent as Refugee Advocates Applaud Decision

The State Department has yet to issue a public statement on the latest ruling. Meanwhile, refugee advocates and legal experts have called the court’s decision a critical check on executive overreach.

“This is a victory for the rule of law and the countless families who have endured uncertainty and fear,” Perryman said. “But we must remain vigilant to ensure the administration cannot sidestep America’s commitments to protect those fleeing persecution.”

The court’s decision underscores the high stakes of the ongoing battle over immigration policy, refugee rights, and presidential authority—an issue likely to remain contentious as Trump continues to pursue sweeping changes to America’s immigration system.

As legal proceedings continue, refugees and their advocates anxiously await further developments, hopeful that Monday’s ruling signals a pathway toward safety and new beginnings in the United States.



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