Donald Trump halts travel plans of refugees already approved for resettlement in US

Refugees approved for travel to the United States before the January 27 deadline suspending the country’s refugee resettlement program have had their plans abruptly canceled by the Trump administration, leaving thousands stranded worldwide, as per a report in AP.

The suspension was part of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday. While the order left open the possibility for refugees who had already completed the rigorous approval process and booked flights to enter the United States before the deadline, might still get in.

According to an email reviewed by The Associated Press on Wednesday, the US agency responsible for refugee processing and resettlement informed staff and stakeholders that "refugee arrivals to the United States have been suspended until further notice."

Trump’s executive order suspends refugee flights for Afghan families, sparks fears of resettlement cuts

Almost 200 family members of active-duty US military personnel, including unaccompanied children and Afghans at risk of Taliban retaliation, will be removed from flights under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order, issued on Monday, halts the resettlement of nearly 1,560 Afghan refugees between now and April, according to Shawn VanDiver, head of the #AfghanEvac coalition, and a US official familiar with the issue, as per a report in Reuters.

The refugees affected by the decision are primarily individuals who supported the US-backed Afghan government, which collapsed after the withdrawal of US troops in August 2021. The move has caused widespread concern, as these individuals face potential harm from the Taliban for their assistance to the US.

Trump's executive order, part of his post-election crackdown on immigration, aims to suspend refugee admissions until programs "align with the interests of the United States." The order argues that the country cannot absorb large numbers of migrants without compromising “resources available to Americans.”

The decision has prompted fears that other resettlement programs, such as special immigration visas for Afghans and Iraqis who assisted the US government, could also be halted. Kim Staffieri, executive director of the Association of Wartime Allies, expressed concern about the heightened anxiety among Afghan and Iraqi refugees. "They’re all terrified. The level of anxiety we are getting from them, in many ways, feels like the lead-up to August 2021," she said, referencing the panic that led thousands of Afghans to storm Kabul airport for evacuation flights.

The suspension of refugee flights has created a deep sense of uncertainty for those already in peril, with many questioning the future of US refugee programs under the Trump administration's new approach to immigration policy.