The Trump administration has mandated a thorough reassessment of all refugees who entered the United States during Joe Biden's presidency.
This directive impacts approximately 200,000 individuals and has raised alarm among human rights organizations and immigration advocates.
According to a report from the Associated Press (AP), which obtained the memorandum, the document—signed by Joseph Edlow, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—claims that under Biden, the focus was on "speed" and "volume" rather than a "detailed review" of applicants.
This purportedly justifies a "re-interview of all refugees admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025."
The review process will involve creating a list of individuals who will be summoned again within the next three months.
The memorandum further orders an immediate halt to the approval of green cards for all refugees who arrived during Biden's term, even for those already in the process of obtaining permanent residency.
AP notes that the document warns those who do not meet the new criteria will not have the right to appeal, although they can present their case in immigration court. Even refugees who have already secured residency might face reevaluation.
"USCIS is prepared to enforce the law and ensure that the refugee program is not exploited," Edlow stated in the memorandum.
Refugee advocates and humanitarian groups have condemned the decision as "cruel" and "senseless."
Naomi Steinberg, vice president of policy at the Jewish resettlement agency HIAS, remarked that "this plan is another display of cold and insensitive treatment towards individuals who are already building new lives and strengthening the communities they live in."
Sharif Aly, president of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), emphasized that refugees "are already the most rigorously vetted immigrants in the United States" and that "re-examining and re-interviewing 200,000 people who have been living peacefully for years is a massive cruelty and a waste of public resources."
The refugee program was partially suspended earlier this year and then restricted to only 7,500 annual entries, prioritizing applicants of white South African origin, marking the lowest level since the program's inception in 1980.
During Biden's tenure, from October 2021 to September 2024, the U.S. admitted 185,640 refugees, primarily from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Syria.
Many of these individuals could now be subject to review under the new policies.
This move aligns with Trump's pledge to tighten immigration policies and increase deportations, purportedly to "restore control of the immigration system and protect national security."
Meanwhile, civil and human rights organizations are preparing legal actions to halt this mass review to prevent thousands of refugees, many of whom are survivors of war and persecution, from being re-interrogated or losing their legal status in the country that welcomed them.
Key Questions About Refugee Review Under Trump Administration
What is the scope of the refugee review ordered by Trump's administration?
The review targets all refugees admitted to the U.S. between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025, affecting approximately 200,000 individuals.
How will this policy change impact refugees who are already in the U.S.?
Refugees who do not meet the new evaluation criteria may not have the right to appeal but can present their case in immigration court. Even those who have secured residency could be reevaluated.
What has been the response from refugee advocates and humanitarian organizations?
Advocates and organizations have criticized the decision as "cruel" and "senseless," arguing that it is a waste of resources and unnecessarily harsh on individuals who have already established peaceful lives.