Latest news with #HIAS
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge temporarily blocks Trump refugee ban
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from suspending the U.S. refugee program, siding with resettlement groups that challenged a Day One order from the president. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead said in his ruling after a hearing Tuesday that President Trump's actions amount to an 'effective nullification of congressional will' in setting up the nation's refugee admissions program. 'The president has substantial discretion … to suspend refugee admissions,' Whitehead told the parties. 'But that authority is not limitless.' The bench ruling grants a request for a preliminary injunction on the executive order. Trump's order barred processing of those fleeing persecution and danger for 90 days as administration officials study whether accepting refugees is 'in the interests of the United States,' leaving it to the president to determine when to do so. The suit was filed on behalf of Church World Service, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and HIAS, formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and challenged not just the suspension but the abrupt cutoff of funding to those that aid refugees. That includes for refugees that had already arrived to the U.S under the Biden administration. Nine refugees are also listed as plaintiffs in the suit, representing those cut off from accessing the program, a group that includes many refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan Even before the order formally took effect, the State Department suspended refugee flights, saying it was 'coordinating with implementing partners to suspend refugee arrivals to the United States and cease processing activities.' A federal judge last week however declined to reinstate refugee funding in a similar case brought by Catholic bishops. The Associated Press contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge blocks Trump's refugee admissions halt
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump's executive order putting a halt to refugee admissions in the United States. The ruling by a district judge in Seattle came in response to a lawsuit filed by refugee aid groups, and marks the latest legal setback to the president's efforts to re-shape America's relationship with immigration. Granting a preliminary injunction that prevents the executive order from taking effect until the court case is adjudicated, US District Judge Jamal Whitehead said the executive order likely violates the 1980 Refugee Act, the Seattle Times reported. Trump's order was part of a flurry of executive actions the president took when he arrived at the White House in January, with a number of them taking aim at immigration and the border. The order, signed with a flourish in the Oval Office in front of cameras, said the refugee program was "detrimental to the interests of the United States." Days later, federal funding to resettlement agencies was frozen. The lawsuit had been brought by Jewish refugee non-profit HIAS, Christian group Church World Service, Lutheran Community Services Northwest and a number of individuals. Those nonprofits said in their lawsuit the funding freeze had left them "struggling to keep their lights on and their staff employed, let alone continue to serve the vulnerable refugees at the core of their missions." It said several people who had been about to travel, having sold all their belongings in their own country, were abruptly left in limbo by the order. There are no readily available official figures for the number of people affected by Trump's order. But in 2023, the last year for which numbers are available, 60,050 people were admitted to the United States as refugees, according to the Department for Homeland Security. Refugee resettlement had been one of the few legal routes to eventual US citizenship, and had been embraced by former president Joe Biden, who expanded eligibility for the program to include people affected by climate change. Trump's White House campaign was marked by vitriol about immigrants, who he said were "poisoning the blood of our country." Other Trump initiatives since his return to office have included an attempt to overturn the constitutional notion of birthright citizenship. That order has also been suspended by federal judges. He has also pushed a vigorous program of deportations, with highly publicized military flights taking handcuffed people to countries in Latin America. The UN high commissioner for refugees estimates that there are 37.9 million refugees in the world, among some 122.6 million displaced people. hg/amz/des
The Hill
25-02-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge temporarily blocks Trump refugee ban
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from suspending the U.S. refugee program, siding with resettlement groups that challenged a Day One order from the president. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead said in his ruling after a hearing Tuesday that President Trump's actions amount to an 'effective nullification of congressional will' in setting up the nation's refugee admissions program. 'The president has substantial discretion … to suspend refugee admissions,' Whitehead told the parties. 'But that authority is not limitless.' The bench ruling grants a request for a preliminary injunction on the executive order. Trump's order barred processing of those fleeing persecution and danger for 90 days as administration officials study whether accepting refugees is 'in the interests of the United States,' leaving it to the president to determine when to do so. The suit was filed on behalf of Church World Service, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and HIAS, formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and challenged not just the suspension but the abrupt cutoff of funding to those that aid refugees. That includes for refugees that had already arrived to the U.S under the Biden administration. Nine refugees are also listed as plaintiffs in the suit, representing those cut off from accessing the program, a group that includes many refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan Even before the order formally took effect, the State Department suspended refugee flights, saying it was 'coordinating with implementing partners to suspend refugee arrivals to the United States and cease processing activities.' A federal judge last week however declined to reinstate refugee funding in a similar case brought by Catholic bishops.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jewish American group helping refugees scrambles after Trump aid cuts
By Alexander Cornwell JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Jewish American organization, long supported by the U.S. government to assist those escaping conflict and oppressive regimes, is set to scale back significantly its operations after U.S. President Donald Trump's order to stop refugee admissions and almost all development assistance spending. HIAS President Mark Hetfield described the aftermath of Trump's orders, part of a broader "America First" realignment of the government, as "complete chaos," saying that there had been limited engagement by U.S. officials. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. "We're asking a lot of questions, not getting any real information back," Hetfield said in an interview in Jerusalem, during a visit with other Jewish American organizations. Trump's January 20 executive orders paused nearly all foreign aid spending for 90 days, hitting humanitarian groups hard, and indefinitely suspended the intake of refugees. Many faith-based groups like HIAS have for decades relied on U.S. funding to provide lifesaving assistance. HIAS, established in 1903 as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, says it helps some 1.4 million refugees and displaced people annually, including providing meals, mental health services and legal protection. The U.S.-based group assists people around the world and helps resettle several thousand refugees each year, mostly to the United States. "Everything's been shut down that's U.S. government-funded, which is the majority of what we do," Hetfield said. That included a program to help Jews and other religious minorities in Iran immigrate to the U.S., while across the organization hundreds of employees had been laid off, he said. According to Hetfield, 60% of the organization's $200 million annual budget was funded by the State Department and other U.S. federal government agencies. The Trump administration has said foreign aid remains halted despite a judge's order to lift the freeze. Hetfield said HIAS would restructure to rely on private funding, but with private funding amounting to just $30 million — 15% of its annual budget — the organization is likely to look vastly different, focusing on legal services and advocacy. "Basically, it means a divorce from the U.S. government and their funding, because they're not a trustworthy partner anymore," he said, adding that the State Department was preventing access to records of refugee resettlement applicants. HIAS Country Director Sivan Carmel said nearly 1,000 refugees in Israel seeking U.S. asylum were now in limbo, including many whose applications had already been approved. "We're talking about torture survivors, single-parent households, LGBTQ people, and people with medical conditions —really, the most vulnerable," she said.
Reuters
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Jewish American group helping refugees scrambles after Trump aid cuts
JERUSALEM, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A Jewish American organization, long supported by the U.S. government to assist those escaping conflict and oppressive regimes, is set to scale back significantly its operations after U.S. President Donald Trump's order to stop refugee admissions and almost all development assistance spending. HIAS President Mark Hetfield described the aftermath of Trump's orders, part of a broader "America First" realignment of the government, as "complete chaos," saying that there had been limited engagement by U.S. officials. "We're asking a lot of questions, not getting any real information back," Hetfield said in an interview in Jerusalem, during a visit with other Jewish American organizations. Trump's January 20 executive orders paused nearly all foreign aid spending for 90 days, hitting humanitarian groups hard, and indefinitely suspended the intake of refugees. Many faith-based groups like HIAS have for decades relied on U.S. funding to provide lifesaving assistance. HIAS, established in 1903 as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, says it helps some 1.4 million refugees and displaced people annually, including providing meals, mental health services and legal protection. The U.S.-based group assists people around the world and helps resettle several thousand refugees each year, mostly to the United States. "Everything's been shut down that's U.S. government-funded, which is the majority of what we do," Hetfield said. That included a program to help Jews and other religious minorities in Iran immigrate to the U.S., while across the organization hundreds of employees had been laid off, he said. According to Hetfield, 60% of the organization's $200 million annual budget was funded by the State Department and other U.S. federal government agencies. The Trump administration has said foreign aid remains halted despite a judge's order to lift the freeze. Hetfield said HIAS would restructure to rely on private funding, but with private funding amounting to just $30 million — 15% of its annual budget — the organization is likely to look vastly different, focusing on legal services and advocacy. "Basically, it means a divorce from the U.S. government and their funding, because they're not a trustworthy partner anymore," he said, adding that the State Department was preventing access to records of refugee resettlement applicants. HIAS Country Director Sivan Carmel said nearly 1,000 refugees in Israel seeking U.S. asylum were now in limbo, including many whose applications had already been approved. "We're talking about torture survivors, single-parent households, LGBTQ people, and people with medical conditions —really, the most vulnerable," she said.
