“Breaking Barriers: Trump Administration Halts Resettlement of Approved Refugees”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Refugees who were authorized to travel to the United States prior to a Jan. 27 cutoff halting America’s refugee resettlement initiative have seen their travel arrangements annulled by the Trump administration.

Countless refugees are now left stranded in different parts of the world.

The halt was enacted through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday. It left open the possibility that individuals who had undergone the protracted process to gain refugee status and had arrangements to fly before the cutoff might still enter the U.S.

However, in an email examined on Wednesday by The Associated Press, the U.S. agency responsible for refugee processing and arrivals informed staff and stakeholders that “refugee entry to the United States has been suspended until further notice.”

Among those impacted are the over 1,600 Afghans permitted to resettle in the U.S. as part of the initiative established by the Biden administration following the American exit from Afghanistan in 2021. This figure includes individuals who collaborated with American forces during the war as well as relatives of active-duty U.S. military members.

Trump’s directive had allowed the agency until Jan. 27 to begin ceasing all processing and travel. Now, however, it seems the timeline in the order has been accelerated. The reason for this adjustment is not immediately apparent.

Refugees are different from individuals who arrive directly at the U.S.-Mexico border with the intention of eventually seeking asylum in the U.S. Refugees must be residing outside of the U.S. to qualify for resettlement and are typically referred to the State Department by the United Nations.

They go through thorough scrutiny before entering the U.S. Upon arrival, they are generally matched with a resettlement agency that assists them in adapting to life in America, which includes help with finding employment and enrolling their children in school.