Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case of Pacito v. Trump. This legal action supports a challenge to Executive Order 14163, which indefinitely suspends refugee entry through the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program (USRAP) and disrupts its infrastructure by terminating agreements and funding for resettlement agencies.
"The president’s unlawful order is an attack on the rule of law and a betrayal of the welcoming hearts of Nevadans, who have welcomed thousands of refugees into our state,” said AG Ford. “These refugees have made our communities stronger, and I am proud to file this amicus brief to stand against this unlawful action attacking those in need."
The group argues that the executive order violates the Immigration and Nationality Act by failing to demonstrate that USRAP refugees are detrimental to national interest, as required for suspending their entry. These individuals are legally admitted, authorized to work, and undergo rigorous vetting processes.
Additionally, they claim that cutting federal funding for resettlement organizations hinders these agencies' ability to meet statutory requirements for refugee support, contradicting congressional intent for economic self-sufficiency and community integration among newly arrived refugees.
The attorneys general also refute claims that USRAP refugees are a "burden," arguing instead that they benefit states economically. From 2005 to 2019, such refugees contributed significantly more financially than they consumed in public services at both federal and state levels.
The coalition requests that the court uphold preliminary injunctions issued by lower courts against enforcing Executive Order 14163. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown led this initiative, with participation from attorneys general across several states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island Vermont and Wisconsin.