AP: Trump orders sweeping review of all refugees admitted under Biden Nearly 200,000 face re-interview

The Trump administration has ordered a sweeping review of every refugee admitted to the United States during the Biden presidency, a move that could affect nearly 200,000 people and further upend a longstanding program designed to protect those fleeing war, violence and persecution.

According to a memo obtained by The Associated Press, federal authorities will conduct a “comprehensive review and re-interview of all refugees admitted from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025.”

A list of individuals subject to re-interview is expected to be compiled within three months.

The directive, issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services acting Director Joseph Edlow, also immediately freezes green card approvals for refugees who arrived during that period. Even refugees who have already received permanent residency will be reviewed again, the memo said.

If officials determine a person should not have qualified for refugee status, they “have no right to appeal,” though they may contest the case if placed in removal proceedings before an immigration court.

Advocates and legal experts warn the order will generate widespread fear and uncertainty among refugees who have already endured years of rigorous vetting before being approved for resettlement. Refugee admissions under normal circumstances involve some of the most extensive background and security checks of any U.S. immigration process.

“This is part of the administration’s cold-hearted treatment of people trying to rebuild their lives,” one advocacy group said, predicting legal challenges to the directive.

The review is the latest step in a series of policy changes aimed at sharply curtailing refugee admissions. Earlier this year, the Trump administration temporarily suspended the program and later set a historic low annual cap of 7,500 slots, designated mostly for white South Africans.

The Biden administration admitted 185,640 refugees from October 2021 through September 2024, including more than 100,000 last year. The largest groups came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela and Syria.

Under U.S. law, refugees must apply for a green card one year after arrival and may apply for citizenship after five years — a process now thrown into uncertainty for tens of thousands of families.

“USCIS is ready to uphold the law and ensure the refugee program is not abused,” Edlow wrote in the memo.

By Khagan Isayev