A State Department memo obtained by CNN reveals that the Trump administration has canceled all previously scheduled travel for refugees to the United States, immediately impacting thousands who had spent years navigating a complex resettlement process. The memo, issued to resettlement partners, comes directly after President Trump’s executive order suspending refugee admissions, demonstrating the rapid impact of his actions.
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According to the message, no new reservations will be made, and all previously planned refugee travel to the US is being canceled. Additionally, it mandates the immediate suspension of all pre-departure and refugee case processing activity. As a result, the program is essentially shut down, and the flights of almost 10,000 migrants who had reservations are now canceled. The program’s abrupt termination poses questions for refugees whose security checks or medical examinations are due to expire. According to the document, all pre-departure operations should be suspended and refugees should not be transferred to transit camps. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) will not accept any new referrals.
Special Immigrant Visa holders, including those who worked for the US abroad, are exempt from the travel ban and are still permitted to enter the United States. Refugees already in the US will continue to receive services.
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President Trump’s executive order, signed on Monday, stated that the US is unable to absorb recent influxes of migrants and refugees. It suspends the US refugee admissions program until the entry of refugees “aligns with the interests of the United States.” The memo implies that the suspension takes effect immediately, although the order states it would take effect on January 27th.
The refugee program, which has existed for decades, is distinct from the situation at the US southern border. It involves a thorough vetting process for refugees overseas before they resettle in the US. Despite this, Trump’s actions on refugees align with his administration’s broader immigration agenda, which seeks to restrict entry based on public safety and national security concerns. Under former President Joe Biden, the cap on refugee admissions to the United States was set at 125,000 people a year.
Source: cnn
