The Trump administration has initiated a sweeping review of all refugees admitted to the United States during the Biden administration, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. This unprecedented move affects nearly 200,000 people who sought sanctuary in America between 2021 and 2025.
Comprehensive Refugee Review Ordered
A memo signed by Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and dated Friday, November 21, 2025, claims that the previous administration prioritized expediency and quantity over detailed screening and vetting. The document mandates a complete reassessment of refugee cases approved from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025.
The directive immediately suspends green card approvals for refugees who arrived during this four-year period and calls for re-interviews of all affected individuals. USCIS expects to create a priority list for these interviews within three months.
Impact on Refugee Communities
This development has triggered widespread anxiety among the 185,640 refugees who built new lives in the United States during the specified timeframe. Refugee admissions reached over 100,000 last year alone, with significant numbers originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Syria.
Refugee advocates have condemned the move as both cruel and wasteful. Naomi Steinberg, vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy at HIAS, described the plan as shockingly ill-conceived and representative of the administration's cold-hearted treatment of vulnerable populations.
Legal Challenges and Broader Context
The review represents the latest escalation in the Trump administration's efforts to restrict immigration. Earlier this year, the government suspended the refugee program entirely before setting a historically low admission cap of 7,500 refugees, primarily white South Africans.
Sharif Aly, President of the International Refugee Assistance Project, emphasized that refugees already undergo the most rigorous vetting process of any immigrant category. He criticized the review as a tremendous waste of government resources targeting people who have been living peacefully in our communities for years.
The International Refugee Assistance Project is currently involved in litigation challenging the administration's suspension of refugee admissions, suggesting this new policy will likely face additional legal challenges.
