Trump's refugee and aid policies halted by federal judges
Federal judges ruled against Donald Trump's administration in three cases on the same day. One decision involved halting the implementation of an executive order suspending the admission of refugees to the United States and limiting funding for their resettlement programmes.
A federal judge stopped implementing President Trump's order, which he signed on the first day after his return to office. The judge also indefinitely suspended the admission of refugees and blocked funds for agencies involved in resettling refugees.
The judge ruled that while the president has significant authority to suspend refugee admissions, this power is not absolute. The decision also noted that the president’s actions disregard Congress’s intended approach to the refugee admission program.
The case was brought to court by organisations dealing with refugee rights and several individual refugees affected by this order. The Department of Justice defended the president's administration's decision, arguing that it was necessary for "protecting the interests of the United States."
Will the court unblock foreign aid?
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pay funds owed to government contractors and non-profit organisations by 9 p.m. Greenwich Time. The case concerns frozen USAID and State Department funds.
During the hearing, a lawyer for the Department of Justice could not provide any examples of unfreezing foreign aid by the previous decision from 13 February nor specify what actions the administration has taken to restore these funds.
A federal judge in Washington indefinitely blocked the administration's ability to freeze federal grants and loans. He described this action as "irrational" and "thoughtless" and ruled that the funding freeze was likely illegal. District Judge Loren AliKhan had previously issued a temporary injunction halting this decision just before it came into effect, but the government failed to appeal it.
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