The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has mandated that refugees must return to custody for inspection and examination one year after their entry into the country, a measure designed to ensure that they are re-evaluated.
According to U.S. law, refugees are required to apply for permanent resident status after one year.
The newly issued memorandum permits immigration officials to detain individuals during this re-inspection phase, marking a reversal of a 2010 policy that discouraged the detention of refugees who had not yet secured permanent residency.
This policy shift has faced significant backlash from advocacy organizations. Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, described it as a “reckless reversal of long-standing policy,” while HIAS raised alarms that it could inflict “grave harm” on thousands of refugees.
This change occurs amid a rise in ICE detention figures, which have surged to around 68,000 under President Trump, marking an increase of approximately 75% since he assumed office. A recent federal court ruling temporarily halted a similar measure affecting 5,600 lawful refugees in Minnesota.
Concerns have been raised by federal judges regarding the possibility that further arrests for re-vetting could conflict with multiple legal statutes, underscoring the ongoing legal and humanitarian debate surrounding the administration’s latest directive.
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