International Rescue Committee Raises Concern Over U.S. Halt on Refugee Admissions
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has expressed alarm over the recent halt in the United States’ refugee admissions program, warning that growing pressure from the Trump administration has caused widespread concern among refugees who have been waiting for years for a final decision on their status.
In a newly released statement, the IRC said the suspension of admissions from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, and Ukraine has even affected individuals whose cases were previously approved. Some of them have now received warnings that their applications will be re-examined.
Hans van de Weerd, Deputy Director of the IRC, condemned the shift as a reversal of America’s longstanding tradition of refugee protection. He noted that many applicants, after completing legal processes and beginning new lives, are now facing the threat of deportation.
Van de Weerd stressed that such moves not only disrupt the emotional and social security of refugees but also undermine global confidence in the United States’ humanitarian commitments.
Immigration experts have also warned that revisiting approved cases runs counter to international refugee protection principles and could further complicate the circumstances of thousands of asylum seekers—particularly vulnerable Afghans—already facing significant hardships.
