Immigration rights advocates says the new policy aims to ‘bully some of the most vulnerable’ people in US society.The administration of United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that it will retroactively vet refugees who have already been admitted into the country, prompting concern from immigrant rights groups.“Corrective action is now being taken to ensure those who are present in the United States deserve to be here,” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe Associated Press and Reuters news agencies had reported on Monday that they obtained a government memorandum ordering a review of more than 230,000 refugees who were legally resettled in the country under former President Joe Biden.The memo, signed by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow, said that refugees who are found to have failed to meet the standards for resettlement would have their legal status revoked.“Given these concerns, USCIS has determined that a comprehensive review and a re-interview of all refugees admitted from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025, is warranted,” the memo stated.“When appropriate, USCIS will also review and re-interview refugees admitted outside this timeframe.”In 2024, the US admitted more than 100,000 refugees. The leading countries of origin for refugees were the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela and Syria.Unlike asylum seekers who apply for protections once they arrive in the US, refugees apply for legal status while they are outside of the country.They are allowed to enter the US with the presumption that they will be longterm residents, safe from persecution in their home co …
