Trump administration plans to review refugees admitted under Biden, memo obtained by The AP says

The Trump administration has announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of all refugees admitted to the United States during President Biden’s term, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. The initiative threatens to upend the lives of nearly 200,000 individuals who sought safety in America after fleeing war and persecution in their home countries.

The November 21 memo, signed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow, claims that during the Biden administration, “expediency” and “quantity” took precedence over “detailed screening and vetting.” This alleged prioritization, according to the memo, justifies a sweeping review and “re-interview of all refugees admitted from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025.”

In a move that will immediately impact thousands of refugees’ path to permanent residency, the directive also suspends green card approvals for all refugees who entered the country during the specified timeframe. This suspension creates significant uncertainty for individuals who have already begun establishing new lives in American communities.

Under longstanding U.S. immigration policy, refugees are required to apply for a green card one year after their arrival in the country. Following an additional five-year waiting period, they typically become eligible to apply for citizenship. The sudden halt to this process disrupts a well-established pathway to permanent settlement.

During the Biden administration, the United States welcomed 185,640 refugees between October 2021 and September 2024. Last year alone, refugee admissions exceeded 100,000, with significant numbers arriving from conflict and crisis zones including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Syria. Many of these individuals spent years in refugee camps or precarious situations abroad while awaiting approval to enter the United States.

Refugee advocates have sharply criticized the planned review, arguing that it unnecessarily traumatizes people who have already undergone extensive security checks before being granted admission to the United States. The refugee vetting process is widely considered one of the most thorough security screening protocols in the U.S. immigration system, often taking years to complete.

“This plan is shockingly ill-conceived,” said Naomi Steinberg, HIAS vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy. “This is a new low in the administration’s consistently cold-hearted treatment of people who are already building new lives and enriching the communities where they have made their homes.”

The refugee resettlement program has historically enjoyed bipartisan support as a humanitarian initiative that reflects American values of providing safe haven to those facing persecution. The program involves multiple federal agencies, including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and various intelligence agencies, all of which play a role in the screening process.

The announcement comes amid broader efforts by the incoming Trump administration to reshape U.S. immigration policy. During his campaign, Trump promised significant restrictions on immigration and increased vetting of those entering the country. This review appears to be among the first concrete steps toward implementing those campaign pledges.

The practical implementation of such a massive review remains unclear, including how the government plans to locate and re-interview nearly 200,000 people scattered across the country, many of whom are already integrated into American communities, working jobs, attending schools, and contributing to local economies.

As of publication, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House had not responded to requests for comment on the planned review or its timeline for implementation. Refugee advocates are likely to challenge the directive, potentially setting up legal battles over the administration’s authority to retroactively review already-admitted refugees.