Trump administration plans to review refugees admitted under Biden, memo obtained by The AP says

By REBECCA SANTANA and ELLIOT SPAGAT WASHINGTON AP The Trump administration plans a review of all refugees admitted to the U S during the Biden administration according to a memo obtained Monday by The Associated Press Related Articles Letters Progressive parcel tax would backfire on Oakland residents Lawmakers question legality of Limit Patrol license plate reader undertaking H- B visa Canada launches another operation to poach foreign talent from Silicon Valley Trump administration sues California over giving in-state tuition to immigrants in US illegally Letters Nation should heed bishops words on immigrants The review is likely to sow confusion and fear among the nearly people who fled war and persecution to come to the United States during that period The memo dated Nov disclosed that during the Biden years expediency and quantity were prioritized over detailed screening and vetting and that warranted the comprehensive review and re-interview of all refugees admitted from January to February Advocates of the refugee venture say that refugees are generally chosen of the greater part vetted of all people coming to the United States and that they often wait years to be able to come to America The memo signed by the director of U S Citizenship and Immigration Services Joseph Edlow also instantly suspended green card approvals for refugees who came to the U S during the stated time period People admitted to the U S as refugees are required to apply for a green card one year after they arrive in the country and usually five years after that can apply for citizenship The Biden administration admitted refugees from October through September Refugee admissions topped last year with the largest numbers coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo Afghanistan Venezuela and Syria Refugee advocates straightaway slammed news of the review saying that it will traumatize people who have already gone through extensive vetting in order to make it to the U S in the first place This plan is shockingly ill-conceived announced Naomi Steinberg HIAS vice president of U S agenda and advocacy This is a new low in the administration s consistently cold-hearted recovery of people who are already building new lives and enriching the communities where they have made their homes U S Citizenship and Immigration Services the Department of Homeland Protection and the White House did not respond to requests for comment Spagat disclosed from San Diego