(SEATTLE, WA, 4/28/26) – The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the U.S. District Court’s decision in CAIR-WA’s lawsuit to allow Afghan asylum-seekers cases to move forward without further delays.
CAIR-WA filed a lawsuit in July 2025 against the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of several Afghan asylum seekers and CAIR-WA immigration clients who have been waiting for years for the government to decide their cases. The lawsuit compels USCIS to move their cases forward without further delays. The government responded with a motion to dismiss the case because the Trump administration paused all applications from “high-risk countries” in response to the acts of violence in the D.C. Shootings in December 2025.
Oral arguments were heard in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, last week, and the court submitted their decision a day later, on April 24, 2026. CAIR-WA argued that the policy itself violates the law, and the court should allow the case to move forward to challenge the government’s unlawful delay for our clients as well as to challenge the government making discriminatory and restrictive policy for immigrants already here in the U.S.
In a statement, Faiza Duale, Deputy Legal Director at CAIR-WA said:
“This country has a long-standing system and rule of law when it comes to asylum and the immigration process as a whole. The administration cannot just enact policies that circumvent these laws and expect our justice system to not enforce the law. I am pleased with the decision by the court, and it only affirms that USCIS cannot decline to perform its duties to adjudicate asylum applications as provided by the laws of this country. CAIR-WA continues to fight for our clients to ensure that they are afforded due process just like everyone else and hold this government accountable.
“This decision is a big step toward making sure people seeking asylum are treated fairly and get a real chance to tell their stories. It pushes back on blanket policies and helps protect the rights of asylum seekers to have their cases decided individually and with dignity. CAIR-WA celebrates this decision and will continue to advocate for the Muslim community through all legal channels.”
The court’s order denied most portions of the government’s motion to dismiss the case. Which means that the claims are valid and can move forward, including our clients’ claim of unreasonable delay and the arbitrariness of the December 2025 policy. Though the court ordered that this decision does not grant a nationwide injunction covering all asylum applicants, we can still seek to invalidate the policy under the Administrative Procedure Act, which may have a broad effect for any other, Muslims and targeted immigrant communities, who may be in similar situations.
CAIR-WA plans to continue to challenge the government’s pause on asylum applicants and will be submitting additional filings by the end of May 2026.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director at CAIR-WA, imraansiddiqi@cair.com