Attorney General James Defends Life-saving Refugee Program from Unlawful Ban

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and 19 other attorneys general today took action to defend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) from the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to shut it down. In an amicus brief filed in Pacito v. Trump, Attorney General James and the coalition urged the Ninth Circuit to uphold a lower court’s decision blocking the president’s January 20 executive order, which attempts to indefinitely suspend the admission of refugees to the United States and terminate federal funding and cooperation with refugee resettlement agencies. The attorneys general argue that the sweeping ban is unlawful, unjustified, and would cause severe harm if allowed to take effect.

“Our country was founded by people fleeing persecution or in search of a better life,” said Attorney General James. “Now, this administration is attempting to slam that door shut, abandoning our values and putting countless lives at risk. States like New York are prepared and proud to welcome refugees into our communities, and we are urging the court to uphold the foundational values of our nation and protect this critical program.”

The executive order, issued on the president’s first day in office, aims to unilaterally suspend all refugee admissions and terminate federal support for organizations that provide newly arrived refugees with housing, food, and medical care. Under federal law, the president may only suspend the entry of a specific group if he finds that their entry would harm the national interest. In attempting to justify the ban, the administration pointed to requests for federal assistance from New York and Massachusetts in response to a recent influx of asylum seekers lacking work authorization and in need of shelter. 

However, Attorney General James and the coalition contend that this justification is fundamentally flawed, as it conflates two entirely separate groups of migrants: asylum seekers and refugees. Refugees admitted through USRAP fall into their own distinct legal category and are subject to years of vetting, authorized to work upon arrival, and integrated into communities in consultation with state and local governments. The attorneys general assert that New York and Massachusetts’ requests had zero connection to USARP legal refugees and, therefore, the requests in no way justify a refugee ban – making the ban unlawful on its face.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that refugees admitted through USRAP are a distinct legal category, selected and placed based on community capacity, with support services already in place. Accordingly, the administration entirely fails to provide any evidence that USARP refugees are a detriment to the nation.

To the contrary, the attorneys general emphasize that refugees are a benefit to their states. Refugees contribute billions of dollars in tax revenue, start businesses, and fill essential roles in the workforce. Nearly half of all refugees resettled in the U.S. in 2024 were welcomed by New York and the other coalition states. Cities within the coalition, like Utica, New York, have seen direct benefits from refugee resettlement, reversing population decline and driving local economic growth.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the administration’s actions have directly harmed refugees already in the United States. 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 refugee integration.

Attorney General James and the coalition are urging the court to uphold the district court’s injunction blocking the executive order, preserving a system that has long reflected America’s humanitarian values and preventing further harm to refugees and the communities prepared to welcome them.

Joining Attorney General James in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.