The judge said the president has considerable executive authority concerning refugees but that he had gone beyond his limits.
A federal judge in Seattle has blocked an executive order by President Donald Trump that paused international refugee resettlement processing and funding for the agencies that performed those services.
“To be sure, the president has substantial discretion … to suspend refugee admissions, but that authority is not limitless,” District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said at a hearing on Feb. 25.
Whitehead said his decision was prompted by the harm caused to the plaintiffs, including the shuttering of refugee agencies and hardship imposed on individuals who had their plans to immigrate to the United States suddenly canceled following the executive order.
He also said the order “nullified the will of Congress” by withholding funds allocated for those programs.
A group of immigrants from around the globe sued Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Dorothy A. Fink.
Whitehead said that he had thoroughly reviewed prehearing submissions from both sides of the case but wanted to hear arguments “to confirm” his assessment.
He then ruled, without breaking for further deliberation, to block the refugee resettlement pause, promising to spell out the details in a soon-to-be-published written decision.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.