WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has released $47 million in refugee resettlement funds to Texas after a legal battle over frozen federal aid.
The funding will support more than 100,000 refugees from countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Cuba as they integrate into American society.
The funds had been withheld, prompting a lawsuit by Texas refugee aid groups against the federal government.
Catholic Charities in Fort Worth, which oversees the Texas Office of Refugees, filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., arguing that the administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unlawfully blocked resources intended for refugees.
The lawsuit claimed that federal inaction disrupted critical services and forced severe cutbacks across the state.
The financial freeze had resulted in the suspension of key programs, including temporary medical assistance, English language instruction, and job placement services.
According to the lawsuit, 24 of the 29 aid organizations in the state faced major reductions, leading to more than 750 layoffs or furloughs.
As a result, over 10,000 refugees lost access to essential support, and some faced eviction due to financial instability.
Anjum Malik, director of the Austin-based Global Impact Initiative, said the funding release provides temporary relief but warned that the future remains uncertain.
“The funding has been released, but the future is very uncertain because nobody knows what’s going to happen,” Malik said.