According to a memo from the State Department to resettlement partners obtained by CNN, refugees who had gone through a lengthy and challenging process to travel to the United States have had their flights canceled.
The memo, which follows President Donald Trump’s executive order to suspend refugee admissions, highlights the immediate impact of his actions. This decision will directly impact thousands of refugees who had already scheduled flights.
The memo states that all previously scheduled travel of refugees to the United States is being cancelled and no new travel bookings will be made. It also advises RSCs not to request travel for any additional refugee cases at this time, citing the president’s executive order.
According to a source familiar with the data, around 10,000 refugees who had travel plans have now had their bookings canceled. While a breakdown by country was not immediately available, refugees typically come from various countries such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Venezuela, Syria, and Burma.
The cancellations may pose a significant problem for refugees whose medical exams or security checks, for instance, are about to expire. The program’s suspension, as mentioned in the memo, effectively halts case processing.
In addition, the suspension covers all activities related to refugee case processing and pre-departure. The Refugee Support Centers (RSCs) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are instructed not to transfer refugees to transit centers in preparation for travel, and to cease all pre-departure activities for refugee cases. Furthermore, the memo states that no new referrals should be made into the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Special Immigrant Visa holders, including those who have worked for the US abroad, are exempt from the travel restrictions mentioned in the memo. They are allowed to travel to the United States. Additionally, refugees who are already in the United States will still be able to receive services.
CNN has contacted the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for comment.
Over the past few years, the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), a State Department office responsible for assisting Afghan allies and partners, has been transporting eligible individuals from Afghanistan to third-party countries like Pakistan and Qatar for further processing before they can come to the United States. This includes Afghans who do not hold Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). However, according to a government official who spoke to CNN, those individuals who are not SIV holders and are currently in these third-party countries are now unable to leave, as they are staying in US-government managed sites.
According to the official, the fate of those individuals remains uncertain. It is unclear how long they could be stranded there.
According to the official, there are over 1,000 Afghan refugees currently residing in Doha. In addition, there are several thousand, potentially even up to 10,000, Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Unfortunately, there are many more Afghan refugees scattered across various countries worldwide, whose cases will now be put on hold.
The official stated that refugees will no longer have a direct route to the US from third-party countries. As a result, they will be removed from flight manifests, which means that individuals who had anticipated leaving Afghanistan soon will now remain in the country for an uncertain period of time.
The cancellation of flights and the halt on processing cases are putting tens of thousands of Afghan refugees at risk worldwide, according to #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations advocating for the safety of Afghans since the end of the war in Afghanistan in 2021. #AfghanEvac stated on Wednesday that this decision endangers the lives of thousands of individuals who risked everything for US missions in Afghanistan. This includes the families of US troops, Afghan partner forces, and women pilots who trained and fought alongside US troops.
In an executive order signed by Trump on Monday, it was stated that the United States has been unable to handle the increasing number of migrants and refugees in recent years. As a result, the US refugee admissions program has been suspended until the entry of refugees into the country is in alignment with the interests of the United States.
The order stated that the suspension would be implemented on January 27th, but the memo suggests that it should take effect immediately.
The situation at the US southern border differs from the refugee program, which has a long-standing history and follows a rigorous vetting process for refugees seeking to resettle in the US. However, the administration’s stricter approach towards refugees aligns with their immigration agenda, aiming to restrict entry into the US based on considerations of public safety and national security.
During the tenure of former President Joe Biden, the United States had set a cap of 125,000 people per year for refugee admissions.
This story has been updated with additional information.