Trump's week in review: New refugee policy, Board of Peace meeting
3. USCIS issues new policy on refugees, drawing pushback
In a memo published Wednesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the implementation of a new policy that requires refugees who have resided in the U.S. for one year to undergo “inspection and examination” for admission as a legal permanent resident.
The Trump administration cited the policy change, which requires refugees to return to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security for “inspection and examination,” as necessary to ensure that “refugees are re-vetted after one year,” align “post-admission vetting with that applied to other applicants for admission,” and promote public safety.
Under the previous policy, a refugee’s failure to obtain legal permanent residency after a year in the U.S. did not constitute grounds for removal. While the Trump administration contends that the policy change is necessary to ensure public safety and prevent fraud, faith-based advocacy organizations focused on refugee resettlement condemned the new development.
“The character of a nation is revealed in how it honors its commitments and how it treats the most vulnerable. Today, we have failed on both counts,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene in a statement.
World Relief, which is the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, has been critical of the Trump administration's recent review of refugees admitted into the United States during the Biden administration.
“Forcing refugees, who have already been stringently interrogated, to undergo further questioning was already an affront, but irrevocably breaking their trust by withdrawing the safety promised to them and placing them in physical custody displays a very low value of human life," Greene said.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
