Judge says Trump administration can't use travel ban to keep 80 refugees out of the US
Share this @internewscast.com

A federal judge has prohibited the Trump administration from applying its travel ban to prevent 80 already-vetted refugees from entering the United States.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead in Seattle ruled that President Donald Trump’s June order, which bans people from 12 countries from entering the U.S., “expressly states” that it does not affect individuals seeking refugee status.

This order, named “Proclamation 10949—Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” includes a clause specifying that its provisions should not be interpreted to restrict an individual’s ability to pursue asylum, refugee status, withholding of removal, or protection under the CAT, in accordance with U.S. laws.

In his ruling, Whitehead said “by its plain terms, the Proclamation excludes refugees from its scope.”

Barring refugees from entering the U.S. would limit their ability to seek refugee status and therefore run counter to the Republican president’s order, the judge added.

He ordered the administration to immediately resume processing 80 “presumptively protected refugees” that were rejected based on the travel ban.

The State Department did not immediately have comment Tuesday.

Whitehead also laid out a process for the government to vet refugees from the countries covered by the travel ban and other countries who were denied entry when the president suspended the nation’s refugee admissions program within hours of taking office on Jan. 20.

The decision left thousands of refugees who had already gone through a sometimes years-long vetting process to start new lives in America stranded at various locations around the world, including relatives of active-duty U.S. military personnel and more than 1,600 Afghans who assisted America’s war efforts.

Under a framework established by an appellate court, those refugees should be admitted if they had previously been cleared for travel to the U.S., had arranged and confirmable travel plans and had taken steps such as selling property or giving up their home that showed a reliance on the U.S. government’s assurance of their refugee status.

The administration has previously said 12,000 people had been approved and booked for travel as refugees before it suspended the refugee program. Many of those cases will now have to be examined individually to see whether they meet the appeals court’s criteria for entry.

The lawsuit Whitehead is overseeing was filed in February by some individual refugees along with refugee aid organizations who said the administration froze their funding. The plaintiffs later asked the judge to make the case a class-action lawsuit so that the rulings could apply to other refugees facing similar circumstances.

Whitehead said the suspension likely amounted to a nullification of congressional will, since Congress created and funded the refugee admissions program. He issued a preliminary injunction barring the federal government from suspending refugee processing and refugee aid funding.

But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put most of that decision on hold in March, finding the administration was likely to win the case because the president has broad authority to determine who is allowed to enter the country. The appeals court later set out the criteria for admitting some of the refugees.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
As One Pelosi Exits, Another Enters: Christine Launches State Senate Bid

Christine Pelosi Steps into the Political Arena with State Senate Campaign as Nancy Pelosi Retires

Christine Pelosi has officially thrown her hat into the ring for California’s…
Chicago man with 25 prison sentences commits new burglaries within 48 hours of release

Chicago’s Infamous Repeat Offender Strikes Again: A Shocking 48-Hour Crime Spree Following 25 Sentences

A career criminal from Chicago, whose activities span over 40 years, has…
Rapper Akon briefly ‘Locked Up’ in Georgia on bench warrant

Rapper Akon Temporarily Detained in Georgia Due to Bench Warrant

Akon, the rapper famous for “Locked Up,” was momentarily detained in Georgia…
WATCH: Teen arrested after alleged wild shovel attack on police cruiser in ritzy Florida neighborhood

Teen Arrested for Shovel Attack on Police Car in Upscale Florida Community

A teenager in Florida has been taken into custody, accused of attacking…
Major Chinese bridge collapses into river just months after opening to traffic

Shocking Collapse: Newly Opened Chinese Bridge Crumbles into River—What Went Wrong?

A significant bridge at a hydropower station in Southwest China collapsed on…
Patty García launches campaign for Illinois' 4th Congressional District after US Rep. Jesús 'Chuy' García's controversial exit

Patty García Announces Bid for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District Following US Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García’s Contentious Departure

CHICAGO (WLS) — On Wednesday, Patty García, who serves as the chief…
Trump says he's ending trade talks with Canada over TV ads

Unveiled Emails: House Democrats Expose Jeffrey Epstein’s Connections with Donald Trump

In a recent development from Capitol Hill, the House Oversight Committee’s Democratic…
Deadly explosions in India and Pakistan occur within 24 hours — at least 20 dead

Tragic Explosions in India and Pakistan Claim Over 20 Lives Within 24 Hours

In a tragic turn of events, twin explosions in India and Pakistan…
Fannie Mae ethics team gutted as they investigated FHFA head Pulte

Fannie Mae Ethics Team Significantly Reduced Amid Investigation into FHFA Chief Pulte

A recent report suggests that the anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) measures…
'A great injustice': 2017 homicide of Jacksonville mom linked to suspect in Anheuser-Busch killing

Unraveling Injustice: Jacksonville Mom’s 2017 Homicide Tied to Suspect in Anheuser-Busch Murder

The daughter of Autumn Van Camp has come forward to share her…
Venezuela mobilizes troops, weapons in response to US warship buildup in Caribbean

Venezuela Boosts Military Presence Amid Rising Tensions with US Naval Forces in Caribbean Waters

Venezuela has initiated a military buildup, deploying troops and gathering weapons in…
Office of the Inspector General urges Chicago Public Schools to reform travel policies after expenses spike

Inspector General Calls for Overhaul of Chicago Public Schools’ Travel Policies Amid Rising Costs

A recent report from Chicago’s Office of the Inspector General has raised…