Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts joined several national organizations and four refugees in filing a lawsuit in a Massachusetts district court against the Trump administration on Monday. They're suing over rules that strip refugees of legal protections without due process.
The class action suit challenges three federal policies that are blocking lawfully admitted refugees from obtaining permanent residency. This includes the indefinite freeze on green card applications, subjecting already admitted refugees to mass revetting and cutting the time refugees have to challenge the revocation of their legal status from 30 days to 10 days.
Camille Wathne is the director of special projects at Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts. She said the Trump administration has stopped processing green card applications, so the 1000 refugees they serve who are in the process of getting the green card are in a state of limbo.
“Staff who used to run wellness groups are now helping clients navigate the bureaucracies of modified insurance coverage. And if they can have their health needs met or staff who used to host donation drives to provide furniture, clothes and household items for newly arrived families are now setting up and managing an on site food pantry to address the end of Snap for individuals whose green cards are still pending and just in process,” Wathne said.
Wathne said she’s been in this line of work for over a decade and has directly worked with a woman who, after exiting their programs, she accompanied to vote for the first time as a U.S. citizen.
“I just really want to stress that the certainty of status adjustment after arrival is the bedrock of the refugee resettlement program, and that this is a fundamental breach of the promise that we've made as a country to these individuals and families who have made this place their home,” Wathne said.
She hopes changes are made soon.
