This article was last updated March 12, 2025

Summary

This article is for people who have questions about current US refugee resettlement policies, including the new “executive order” signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025. This executive order is called “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program,” and it paused the U.S. refugee resettlement program. 

The article explains both what this executive order says and what it means for people who may be affected by these changes, such as current or potential refugee applicants. It also explains how the order is affected by IRAP’s lawsuit challenging the government’s decision to pause the refugee resettlement program.

Can refugees still come to the United States?

This is a complicated question to answer, and the answer might be different for different people. To understand it, let’s talk about the “executive order” related to refugee resettlement, how that has changed US policy, and what the current rules are for refugees who want to come to America.

The U.S. refugee resettlement program is called the United States Refugee Admissions Program, or “USRAP.” An “executive order” is an official document from the president that requires the government to do certain things.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order called “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program.” This order says that the U.S. government must pause (temporarily stop) letting refugees enter the United States, and that it will also pause making decisions on open refugee applications.

Shortly after the president issued this order, government agencies stopped accepting new refugee applications and froze all cases that were already open. They also canceled flights and travel arrangements for refugees who were already approved to travel. 

Is the US refugee resettlement program still on hold?

IRAP has filed a lawsuit against the US government that says that it is illegal to pause or stop the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This case is still in progress, but at this time, a judge has ordered the government to restart the program.  However, the government has not yet restored the program to what it looked like before the pause, and that makes it very hard for refugees to actually travel to the United States. As explained below, it is easier right now for refugees coming to join family members who have filed I-730 applications for them to travel to the United States (at their own expense) than it is for other refugees to come to the United States.

The lawsuit

On February 10, 2025, IRAP filed a lawsuit against the government called Pacito v. Trump. This lawsuit argues that it is illegal for the government to stop the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and related funding by executive order. The lawsuit asks a U.S. judge to decide if the executive order and the actions the government took to stop USRAP are illegal.  

On February 25, 2025, a federal judge ruled that while this case is in progress, the government cannot pause USRAP or withhold some of the money that is used to support the program. You can find a link to the judge’s written order here. The government agencies have appealed this decision to a higher court to ask it to review the case again. At this time, the judge’s order that USRAP must start processing cases and resettling refugees again is still in effect.

Current status

On March 10, 2025, the government filed a “status report” to explain how they are responding to the judge’s order. According to this report, the government has resumed making decisions on refugee applications, but it is unclear when other processing steps will restart. The “resettlement support centers,” which are government-funded agencies responsible for handling case files, communicating with applicants, and coordinating case processing, still do not seem to be open and working at this time.

How does this executive order affect my case?

Before the judge’s order on February 25 that said the government needed to “unfreeze” the refugee resettlement program, the government had put all open refugee applications on hold. The government paused all steps of the refugee application process, including: 

• accepting new referrals, 
• creating new cases, 
• scheduling interviews, 
• approving or denying cases,
• scheduling medical examinations, and 
• scheduling flights for people who have completed all of those steps.

In response to the judge’s order on February 25, the government has reported that it has started making decisions on cases again for applicants who were already interviewed. It has not reported that any of the other steps have restarted yet.    

Are there any exceptions to the suspension? Are there cases where these new rules may not apply?

The executive order says that exceptions might be possible. However, it does not say what kinds of cases should receive exceptions. The order says that the government can only make an exception if it decides it is in the “national interest” and that a refugee “does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States.” The order does not say what this means, and the government has not given any information about how to request an exception. 

Can I open a new USRAP case?

It is unclear. The U.S. government has paused all new refugee applications as part of its response to the president’s executive order. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will allow new applications in light of this order.

Does the suspension affect the Welcome Corps program?

Yes, the U.S. government  paused all parts of the Welcome Corps program as part of its response to the president’s executive order. It stopped accepting new applications for sponsorship and processing open applications. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will reopen Welcome Corps processing in light of this order.

I am an Afghan or Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicant. Will the suspension or other Trump Administration changes affect my SIV application?

Maybe. 

Filing an Application, Interviews, and other Processing: Afghan and Iraqi SIV applications, interviews, and application processing at embassies and consulates are not affected by the suspension because they are not part of USRAP.

Travel: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has paused flights for Afghan and Iraqi SIV holders. SIV holders are still allowed to book their own travel. 

Refugee Benefits: Because of another Trump administration action, SIV holders who arrive in the U.S. may be impacted by changes to funding for refugee resettlement agencies. For more information, please read the section in this guide below on refugee benefits.  

Does the suspension affect cases of Afghans applying through the Afghan P-1 / P-2 program?

Yes, all refugee applications are affected by this executive order, including cases referred through the Afghan P-1 / P-2 program. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will restart processing of these cases in light of this order.

Has the Trump Administration paused the U.S. government's departure assistance (“CARE relocation”) for Afghans from Afghanistan?

As of January 28, 2025, the U.S. government has paused departure assistance flights from Afghanistan. It is possible that the U.S. government may resume flights for Afghans who do not have USRAP applications, but there have been news reports that the government is shutting down this program later this year. 

My family member applied for me to join them in the United States. Will I still be able to come? 

We can’t give definite answers about any one person’s case. However, we do know how this order will affect different types of cases. 

Case types that are not affected by this order

• If your relative is an asylee and applied to bring you to the United States using the I-730 (“follow-to-join asylee”) process: Your case is not affected. 
  • “Asylees” are people who received asylum status once they were already in the United States. Family members of asylees who are applying to come to the United States using the I-730 process are not affected by the executive order, because their cases are not part of USRAP. 
  • More information about I-730 for asylees can be found here.
    
    
• I-130: If your relative applied to bring you to the US with an I-130 (a family-based immigration petition form), your case is not affected. 
  • The I-130 family-based immigration process is for US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs, or “green card holders”) who are applying to bring certain qualifying relatives to the United States. This pathway is not part of USRAP. More information can be found here.

Case types that are affected by this order

• If your relative is a refugee and applied to bring you to the United States using the I-730 (“follow-to-join refugee”) process: Your case may be affected. Because of the suspension, government agencies paused processing and travel for these cases. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. In response to the judge’s order, the government reported that they were restarting case processing and decision-making on this case type. They also reported that approved applicants would be allowed to travel to the United States.

• In this context, “refugees” are people who were resettled to the United States through USRAP, which means that they applied for and were approved to receive refugee status before they entered the United States. 
• The government now says that follow-to-join refugees who were ready to travel before the ban can travel, but they must pay for their own tickets.
• Follow-to-join refugee applicants who are waiting on medical exams must now pay for their own medical exams. The U.S. government says follow-to-join refugees can contact a panel physician to schedule their exam directly. You can find information about panel physicians from the embassy website where you will be interviewed.
• More information about I-730 for refugees can be found here.
  
  

• If your relative applied to bring you to the United States through the “Priority 3” (P-3) Family Reunification program: Your case may be affected. The P-3 program is part of USRAP. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will restart processing of these cases in light of this order.
  
  
• If you are Iraqi or Syrian and your relative applied to bring you over through the special USRAP I-130 program: Your refugee case through USRAP may be affected. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will restart processing of these cases in light of this order. Also, immigrant visa processing through the regular I-130 process listed above will not be affected.
  
  
• If your relative or someone else applied to sponsor you through Welcome Corps: Your case may be affected. The Welcome Corps program is part of USRAP. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will restart processing of these cases in light of this order.

• If your relative applied to bring you to the United States through the Central American Minors (CAM) Program: Your refugee case may be affected, because CAM refugee cases are part of USRAP. However, on February 25, a judge told the government they needed to lift the pause. We do not yet know when the government will restart processing of these cases in light of this order. IRAP also understands CAM parole processing has been paused, but the government has not made official announcements about this, and we do not have details at this time.

Does the suspension affect cases with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)?

No, the suspension does not affect UNHCR procedures or UNHCR’s decisions about refugee status or resettlement. However, if UNHCR referred you to the U.S. for resettlement and you now have a USRAP case, your U.S. resettlement case may be affected by this executive order.

If I was resettled to the U.S. through USRAP and am in the United States now, does the suspension affect my status here?

The suspension only affects refugees who are outside of the United States and want to enter the U.S. through USRAP. If you are in the United States, the suspension does not affect your status. Please read the section above to see if you are filing for family reunification for a relative to see if it may be affected.

If I was resettled to the U.S. through USRAP or entered with SIV and I receive refugee benefits, will the Trump Administration pause on funding to refugee resettlement agencies affect me?

Maybe. Separately from the USRAP suspension, the Trump administration has told resettlement agencies in the U.S. to stop using some money from the U.S. government to provide services to refugees. Some resettlement agencies have continued to provide services and some services may stop or change. IRAP has challenged the pause in these services as well as part of our lawsuit.

Additional information and resources

What is the U.S. refugee resettlement process?

How can I check the status of my U.S. refugee application?

What is the UNHCR resettlement process?