The Trump administration is preparing to re-examine every refugee admitted to the United States during the Biden years.
According to a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the move is expected to spark anxiety among the roughly 200,000 refugees who entered the country during that period, many of whom fled war, persecution, and years-long waits for resettlement.
The memo, dated Nov. 21, argues that from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025, the Biden administration prioritized “expediency” and “quantity” over “detailed screening and vetting.”
It orders a comprehensive review and “re-interview of all refugees admitted” during that timeframe.
The document was signed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow and immediately halts green card approvals for refugees who arrived during those years.
Under current law, refugees are required to apply for permanent residency one year after arrival, and they typically become eligible for citizenship after five years.
Advocates noted that refugees already undergo one of the most rigorous vetting processes of any category of individuals entering the U.S.
They warned that reopening settled cases would destabilize people who have already endured significant hardship.
Between October 2021 and September 2024, the Biden administration admitted 185,640 refugees, including more than 100,000 last year.
The largest groups came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Syria — many escaping conflict, state repression, or humanitarian crises.
Refugee organizations quickly condemned the administration’s plan, saying it threatened to retraumatize individuals who had already navigated exhaustive background checks before resettlement.
“This plan is shockingly ill-conceived,” said Naomi Steinberg, HIAS vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy. “This is a new low in the administration’s consistently cold-hearted treatment of people who are already building new lives and enriching the communities where they have made their homes.”
It remains unclear how the review will be carried out or how long it will take.
