Judge considers lifting U.S. ban on entry of refugees, families

SEATTLE — Federal District Judge James Robart said he would decide before Christmas whether to stop a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after hearing arguments Thursday that the ban is separating families and putting some refugees in danger.

Lawyers from the ACLU and Jewish Family Service asked Robart for an injunction on a ban the administration has placed on refugees from some mostly Muslim countries.

The ban went into effect in October after President Donald Trump issued an executive order resuming the refugee program “with enhanced

The day before that order, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees must be banned unless additional measures are implemented.

The banned refugees include the spouses and minor children of refugees who have settled in the country. The action also suspended the refugee program for people coming from 11 countries.

The ACLU argued the memo provided no evidence vetting capabilities.” for why additional security was needed and didn’t specify a timeframe for implementing the changes.

Robart questioned whether Trump administration policies were trampling the Administrative Procedures Act, which says a process must be followed before shutting down a program. Robart also questioned whether the Department of Homeland Security has the authority to stop the refugee program, when the Immigration and Nationality Act, passed by Congress, mandates the reunification of the families of refugees settled in this country.