The Trump administration is reinterviewing some refugees who entered the U.S. during Joe Biden’s presidency as part of a case review, according to an internal memo and a knowledgeable source.
This action is unusual for Trump’s efforts to limit immigration, as it targets some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Refugees must show that they have experienced persecution or fear persecution in their home countries. They also undergo a strict vetting process that can take years before they can enter the U.S.
Trump officials have questioned the refugee admissions program, which has usually had support from both parties. They argue that the previous administration did not adequately vet the refugees. Trump has mostly stopped refugee admissions, making a narrow exception for White South Africans.
The review and reinterview process will likely be handled by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The memo, dated November 21, says this is necessary to make sure refugees do not pose a threat to national security or public safety. Between fiscal years 2021 and 2025, about 235,000 refugees entered the U.S. after going through the admissions process.
The State Department directed CNN to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comments. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the Biden administration’s “reckless approach has weakened our immigration system and put the safety of Americans at risk. We are now taking steps to ensure that those in the U.S. truly belong here.”
U.S. Refugees Go Through Most Rigorous Checks
For many years, the U.S. has admitted more refugees than any other country, taking in millions since the Refugee Act of 1980. This program faced cuts when Donald Trump was president. He reduced the number of refugees allowed to enter the U.S. The coronavirus pandemic also stopped resettlements for a time. President Biden is working to restore the program and aims to accept 125,000 refugees each year.
Mark Hetfield, president of the refugee resettlement group HIAS, said, “Threatening refugees with losing their status is cruel. It would re-traumatize them and misuse taxpayer money.”
Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International, said that refugees in the U.S. go through the most rigorous checks of any group of migrants. He explained that they have detailed evaluations of their status, background checks, and security screenings. “The Trump administration knows this,” he said.
Konyndyk criticized Trump for trying to resettle White South Africans, who do not qualify as refugees. He said, “It’s hard to see this as anything but an excuse to take away protections from those who truly need them.”
The planned interviews will check if refugees still meet the admission criteria once in the country. A recent memo says the agency can stop refugee status without allowing an appeal. The memo also puts a hold on pending applications for refugees looking to change their status until the director of USCIS decides otherwise.
Refugees must apply for permanent status one year after arriving in the U.S. At the UN General Assembly in September, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said the current asylum system is outdated and has been misused. This, he argued, has made “mass illegal migration legal.”
