Overview
- An internal memo signed Nov. 21 by USCIS Director Joseph Edlow mandates comprehensive re-interviews of refugees admitted from Jan. 20, 2021, to Feb. 20, 2025.
- The directive immediately suspends processing and approvals of permanent residency applications for people in that cohort.
- USCIS states it will terminate refugee status for individuals found not to meet statutory criteria after the review.
- The order covers roughly 200,000 to about 235,000 admissions, and the agency plans to publish a prioritized re-interview list within 90 days.
- Resettlement groups condemned the plan and signal legal challenges, as the move follows broader rollbacks that include a 7,500 refugee cap with priority for white South Africans.