Refugees who were allowed to travel to the United States by next week's deadline that suspended America's refugee resettlement program have had their travel plans canceled by the Trump administration.
Thousands of refugees who fled war and persecution and who had gone through a years-long process to start a new life in the US are now lost in various places around the world. That includes more than 1,600 Afghans who have helped America's war effort, as well as relatives of active-duty US military personnel.
US President Donald Trump suspended the program this week as part of a series of executive orders cracking down on immigration. His move left open the possibility that refugees who had been screened to come to the US and had flights booked by Monday's deadline might be able to get in under the wire.
But in an email dated Tuesday and reviewed by The Associated Press, the US agency in charge of processing refugees and entrants told staff and stakeholders that ” refugees coming to the United States is suspended until further notice.”
Just over 10,000 refugees from around the world who had already gone through the lengthy refugee admissions process have scheduled travel over the next few weeks, according to a document obtained by the AP. It was not immediately clear how many of them were expected to arrive by the due date.
Among them are more than 1,600 Afghans who were cleared to come to the US as part of the program established by the Biden administration after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Many veterans of America's longest war have tried for years to help the Afghans they worked with, as well as their families, to find shelter in the U.S. Many were ready to quit to reinstate the program but they hoped for special consideration for the Afghans.
“The Trump administration's early suspension of refugee flights is alarming, leaving thousands of Afghan allies in fear and uncertainty,” said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition that supports Afghan resettlement efforts.
“We are ready to participate to fix this and encourage clear communication with affected families. We will honor our promises and uphold American values.”
There is a separate pathway – the special immigrant visa program – specifically for Afghans who worked directly with the US government. VanDiver's group said that the program, which was put in place by Congress, did not seem to have an impact at this time.
'Damage to families'
Trump's order signed Monday had given the State Department a week before it began suspending all processing and travel. The time appears to have been moved up, although it was not immediately clear what prompted the change.
The State Department referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Agencies that help refugees settle and adjust to life in the US have argued that this is the kind of legal immigration that Trump and his supporters say they like and have take into account the rigorous background checks and sometimes years-long waits experienced by refugees.
“This sudden halt to refugee admissions is devastating for families who have already endured unimaginable hardship and have waited years for a chance to rebuild their lives in safety,” said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the head of Global Refuge, one of the 10 resettlement organizations in the US, said in a statement on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday rolled back a Biden-era directive that banned limited immigration near sensitive places, including schools, hospitals and churches. Jason Houser, who served as the top immigration official during the Biden administration, says that will put more strain on enforcement resources.
“Refugees go through one of the toughest vetting processes in the world, and many now find their travel canceled just days, or even hours, before they were ready for their new lives to start in the United States,” she said. “It's absolutely heartbreaking.”
Refugees are different from people who come directly to the US-Mexico border with the goal of ultimately seeking asylum. Refugees must live outside the US to be considered for resettlement and are usually referred to the State Department by the United Nations.
Although the resettlement program has historically had bipartisan support, the first Trump administration temporarily suspended resettlement and then reduced the number of refugees who could enter the country every year.
