New York Attorney General Letitia James, alongside 19 other attorneys general, stepped up efforts to protect the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) against what they describe as an unlawful shutdown by the Trump administration. As reported by the New York Attorney General's Office, the group recently submitted an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit to affirm a lower court’s ruling that put a stop to President Trump's executive order. This order, signed on his first day in office, sought to indefinitely suspend refugee entry into the U.S. and end federal funding for refugee resettlement agencies.
Attorney General James criticized the administration for attempting to permanently close the door that the country's founders once passed through in search of refuge or better lives. "Our country was founded by people fleeing persecution or in search of a better life," James stated, according to the New York Attorney General's Office. Attorneys general contend that the executive order fails to distinguish between asylum seekers and refugees. They argue that the two are distinct categories, with refugees undergoing extensive vetting and receiving permission to work upon arrival, making the justification for the ban fundamentally flawed.
The coalition of attorneys general emphasizes that refugees are a boon to states, contributing billions in tax revenue, starting businesses, and taking on essential roles in the workforce. Nearly half of all refugees resettled in the U.S. last year were placed in states represented by the coalition. The amicus brief highlighted cities like Utica, New York, where refugee resettlement has helped reverse population decline and stimulate economic growth.
The administration's decision to cut funding and end cooperation with resettlement agencies has led to hardships for refugees already in the country, leaving them without vital services such as housing, food, and employment support. "By cutting off funding for refugee organizations and suddenly ending longstanding cooperation agreements with resettlement agencies, the federal government has deprived newly arrived families of essential services like housing, food, medical care, and employment support. The attorneys general assert that the federal government’s abrupt and unjustified disruption has created widespread hardship, particularly in states that have long partnered with these agencies to support," stated Attorney General James, as per the New York Attorney General's Office. She argued that these sudden actions have created widespread hardship, particularly in states that have long worked with agencies to support refugee integration.
Hoping to maintain what they see as the nation's humanitarian values, the attorneys general are pressing the court to maintain the district court's injunction that blocks the executive order. This, they say, will preserve a system that has efficiently functioned to not only serve the interests of refugees but also the communities where they are welcomed. The brief was signed by attorneys general from across the nation, including those from Arizona, California, and Washington, reflecting solid bipartisan support for the cause.
