Amid an increasingly volatile climate for refugees and illegal immigrants in the US due to President Donald Trump‘s long-standing mass deportation effects, a new move by the government will now directly impact green card holders.
Trump administration has paused the processing of over 235,000 green card applications for refugees admitted during Joe Biden’s administration, ordering mandatory re-interviews and reviews of all refugees who entered between January 2021 and February 2025, CNN reported.
The government has called it an “operational necessity” to protect national interests and public safety concerns.
‘Biden prioritised quantity over vetting refugees’
Officials from Trump’s administration have argued that the Biden government prioritised speed and quantity over thorough vetting of refugees, necessitating this comprehensive re-evaluation, according to multiple reports.
According to Reuters, the freeze applies not only to pending applications but also to refugees who have already been granted green cards, who may now face re-interviews and potential revocation of their refugee status.
USCIS to reassess eligibility criteria for green cards
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will reassess all eligibility criteria, including past waivers and the “persecutor bar” during these evaluations.
Refugees and their families should expect delays and uncertainty in their legal status until the reviews conclude, according to a memo issued by the USCIS.
If deemed ineligible, affected refugees have no direct appeal rights but can challenge decisions only through immigration courts during removal proceedings.
‘The move is unspeakably cruel’
Refugee advocates condemned this move as “unspeakably cruel,” warning it will re-traumatise vulnerable families who fled persecution and violence.
They emphasised that refugees undergo rigorous background checks and security screenings before arriving in the US, and a second round of vetting only adds uncertainty and fear for those who had sought safety.
Mark Hetfield, president of the refugee resettlement organisation HIAS, told CNN that threatening refugees with status removal is a misuse of taxpayer money and is harmful to communities.
As of the latest reports in 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported close to 200,000 individuals in the first seven months of Trump’s term, with overall immigration-related removals, including from US Customs and Border Protection and voluntary self-deportations, nearing 350,000 for the year so far, according to CNN.