The IRC has published a Press Release addressing a newly released U.S. policy that claims sweeping authority to arrest and detain refugees who arrived through the U.S. resettlement program after extensive vetting. 

A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home because of persecution or conflict and cannot safely return. Refugees admitted through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program are rigorously interviewed and screened by multiple U.S. agencies to confirm they meet the legal definition of a refugee and ensure they pass the most intensive security vetting the United States conducts. 

The action in this newly released policy break the promises the U.S. made to refugees to rebuild their lives in America and destabilizes the very communities that welcomed them. Detaining and re-vetting resettled refugees undermines a core commitment the U.S. government made to people who have already passed U.S. government security screening. Detaining people who were promised safety does nothing to make communities safer. It tears families apart, disrupts neighborhoods, and harms employers and local economies that rely on refugees as workers, neighbors, and community members. 

This policy wastes taxpayer dollars and government resources. Detaining and re-interviewing refugees who have already been vetted diverts limited government resources.

The IRC calls for an immediate halt and respect for the refugee program's integrity. The IRC urges the administration to stop detaining refugees and conducting unnecessary re-vetting. The administration should honor the integrity of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program that has held bipartisan support for more than four decades, ensuring refugees can continue a stable path toward permanent residency and citizenship while contributing to American communities. 

Read the IRC's Press Release here.