IRAP's strategic litigation and systemic advocacy seeks to protect and expand the U.S. refugee admissions program and ensure that vulnerable refugees can continue to reach safety in the U.S.
October 2017: IRAP led litigation against the refugee ban resulting in the resumption of refugee processing, including family reunification processing and a major settlement. The government now agreed to expedite the processing of more than 300 refugees who were in the final stages of their resettlement process when the ban was implemented.
September 2019: In response to the Administration's executive order granting state and local officials unprecedented power to veto refugee resettlement in their jurisdictions, IRAP filed a lawsuit (HIAS v. Trump) on behalf of three resettlement agencies, and secured a preliminary injunction blocking the order, allowing refugee resettlement to continue in all U.S. states.
IRAP has led advocacy campaigns urging state and local officials to publicly support refugee resettlement and collected over 560 signatures from officials in all 50 states for a bipartisan letter sent to President Trump, affirming their commitment to welcoming refugees in their communities.
IRAP has also published reports — informed by the insights and experiences of IRAP clients and the broader refugee community — documenting barriers to U.S. resettlement and issuing recommendations to protect and expand safe passage that have resulted in positive policy changes.
When Layla and her husband left their home in the Somali region of Ethiopia, they hoped to flee persecution for a safer life. Unfortunately, when her husband was deported from their temporary home in Saudi Arabia, Layla's story to reach safety was only just beginning.
Despite the hardship she experienced along her dangerous, tenuous journey via Syria and Turkey, Layla and her two young children finally resettled to the U.S. in 2015 with IRAP's help. However, their story doesn't end here. Layla and her family have built a loving home in Maine, where her children go to school and she has been able to study and work and give back to the community.
"[It's] better than my home, because I live safe," recalls Layla.
Watch Layla's Journey
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Related Litigation
JFS v. Trump: Challenging the refugee ban
IRAP filed this lawsuit on behalf of two resettlement agencies and several individual clients challenging the October 2017 refugee ban ordered by President Trump.
Follow-to-join
JFS v. Trump
HIAS v. Trump: Protecting refugees against state and local veto of resettlement
IRAP filed this lawsuit on behalf of three resettlement agencies challenging an Executive Order giving state and local officials the unprecedented power to refuse refugees being resettled in their jurisdictions.
HIAS
Related News & Resources
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State and Local Officials From All 50 States Sign Bipartisan Letter Urging Biden Administration to Increase Refugee Admissions
Today, the Refugee Advocacy Lab published a letter signed by more than 300 state and local elected officials from all 50 states and the District of Columbia urging President Biden to resettle at least 125,000 refugees in Fiscal Year 2022.
Presidential Determination
U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
ACTION ALERT: Urge President Biden to Resettle More Refugees Now
Did you watch the "Last Week Tonight" segment on why the United States is resettling fewer refugees under Biden than under Trump?
IRAP Urges Biden Administration to Lift Restrictions on Interfaith and Same-Sex Refugee Marriages
The US Refugee Admissions Program should be accessible to families who are unable to marry.
LGBTI Refugees
Interfaith Marriage