SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge in Seattle has intervened to stop President Donald Trump’s attempt to suspend the United States’ refugee admissions program.

This decision follows a lawsuit filed by prominent refugee assistance organizations, which contended that Trump’s executive order to halt the federal refugee resettlement initiative violated the framework established by Congress for integrating refugees into the country.

Attorneys representing the Trump administration argued that the executive order was an appropriate exercise of presidential power to deny entry to foreigners when their admission could harm U.S. interests.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead stated that the president’s actions constituted an “effective nullification of congressional intent” concerning the nation’s refugee admission system.

Judge Whitehead acknowledged the president’s considerable discretion to suspend refugee admissions but emphasized that this authority has limits.

Justice Department attorney August Flentje informed the judge that the administration might think about filing an emergency appeal against the ruling.

The plaintiffs in the case include the International Refugee Assistance Project, representing Church World Service, the Jewish refugee organization HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, along with individual refugees and their families. They claimed that Trump’s order has significantly hampered their ability to deliver essential support to refugees, including those already residing in the U.S.

Many refugees, who had received approval to enter the U.S., found their travel plans canceled unexpectedly, causing delays for families who have been separated for years.

Trump’s recent directive announced the suspension of the refugee program, citing that municipalities were struggling with “unprecedented levels of migration” and lacked the capacity to accommodate substantial groups of migrants, particularly refugees.

The federal refugee program has operated for decades, aiding those fleeing war, natural disasters, or persecution. While historically receiving bipartisan support for the vetting and acceptance of refugees, the program has become increasingly politicized in recent years.

During his first term, Trump temporarily halted the program and subsequently reduced the annual cap on refugee admissions significantly.

In a related development, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., recently declined to impose an immediate block on the Trump administration’s actions in a separate lawsuit initiated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, with another hearing scheduled for Friday.