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For Immediate Release
Contact:

CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri, 202-642-4934, lmasri@cair.com; CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, gabbas@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com

CAIR Welcomes Md. Judge's Ruling Blocking Trump's Order on Refugee Resettlement

WASHINGTON

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a ruling by a Maryland judge stating that President Donald Trump cannot give state and local governments "veto power" to reject refugees from resettling within their borders.

U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte blocked Trump's executive order requiring resettlement agencies to get written consent from officials in any jurisdiction where they want to resettle refugees beyond June of this year.

Judge:Trump Can't Let States 'Veto' Refugee Resettlement

In a statement, CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas said:

"We welcome the Maryland federal district court's decision to block for now the Trump administration's Executive Order 13888, which attempted to impose a state-by-state refugee ban. This executive order, if left standing, would interfere with the ability of refugees to obtain the services they need to resettle in our nation.

"While we are optimistic that the courts will ultimately do the right thing, we must also remain vigilant. The court's decision only temporarily blocks the order and we will continue to work to ensure a welcoming society for refugees.

"As a nation, we must unite our voices to stop the demonization of refugees who come to this country to rebuild their lives. We will continue to raise our voices and call on people of all faiths and backgrounds to take a stand to welcome and advocate for refugees in their communities.

"We appreciate the leadership of HIAS, Church World Service (CWS), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) in taking on this important fight."

CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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