Executive Order Suspending US Refugee Resettlement: “A Step Backward,” Says the IRC

The Trump Administration announced the suspension of refugee resettlement to the U.S., effective January 27, 2025. This program, established by the 1980 Refugee Act, currently supports over 100,000 security-vetted refugees. According to a Washington Post article (behind paywall), between 40,000 – 60,000 Afghans are actively seeking resettlement in the U.S. under the Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program intended to help Afghans employees and their families who worked with the U.S. government or on USG-funded programs in Afghanistan.

In a statement issued by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) they believe the suspension is a “step backwards,” given the bipartisan support it has since its inception. Many humanitarian organizations are involved in refugee resettlement. The US Refugee Admissions Program offers support to some of the most vulnerable refugees who are typically go through a year-long process of vetting by more than a dozen federal security agencies.  The IRC calls for the administration “to grant case-by-case exemptions permitted by the order and to undertake a prompt, evidence-based assessment, required under the order, to resume this vital program.”

Read the AP News article here.

View the IRC’s statement here.