Background
Stranded overseas: The Trump administration’s indefinite refugee ban remains in place, stranding over 100,000 refugees fleeing persecution around the world who were conditionally approved for resettlement before the ban took effect.
These stranded refugees, many of whom have gone through years of vetting and screening, include:
- Nearly 15,000 Iranians fleeing religious persecution in the Lautenberg Program pipeline
- Hundreds of Afghan allies still stuck on Camp As Sayliyah, a former U.S. military base in Qatar
- More than 650 Follow-to-Join family reunification cases – like Miriam’s – in which refugees in the U.S. remain separated from spouses and children.
- Unaccompanied refugee children
- Those fleeing the world’s most devastating protracted displacement crises
Miriam and her family fled persecution in the Democratic Republic of Congo and lived in a refugee camp for fifteen years as they proceeded through the lengthy U.S. refugee resettlement vetting and screening process. Miriam was separated from her nine-year-old son during this process, and upon resettlement immediately filed a Follow-to-Join family reunification application for him. That application that has been blocked by the refugee ban. Miriam’s lawyer asked the government about requesting an exception to the ban for Miriam’s child, and was told the exception process “was not for” him. The administration has granted exceptions to over 12,000 white Afrikaners.
Targeted in their new homes: An ongoing refugee green card adjudication pause and “re-vetting” process is leaving many resettled refugees in a deadly bureaucratic trap. The processing freeze has come alongside upcoming health care eligibility changes that specifically strip Medicaid and Medicare eligibility for those who do not have green cards. The Medicaid cuts are scheduled to go into effect on October 1, and many refugees with severe health concerns are stuck in limbo. Their green card applications aren’t moving, and they are receiving notices saying their health coverage will be terminated.
Sample Email Script: “My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I am outraged by the ongoing attacks on refugees — both those stranded overseas and targeted after resettling right here in [STATE].
The administration has continued to implement an indefinite refugee resettlement ban, stranding tens of thousands of vetted and approved refugees and allowing only white South Africans to enter via “exceptions.” This is a moral failure. At the same time, USCIS has issued a memo halting green card processing for refugees and ordering the “review and re-interview” of all refugees who were resettled from 2021 to 2025. The green card halt has continued as new restrictions on access to healthcare and food assistance go into place for refugees who do not have green cards, creating a deadly bureaucratic trap.
The White House has scheduled consultations on the refugee program with Congress later this month. I urge you to use your voice and oversight capacity to restore protections for those most at-risk overseas and stand up for those who have resettled in our community and now may be subject to this administration’s latest adjudication freeze and “de-documentation” campaign. Specifically, I urge you to:
- Strongly voice your support for stranded refugees who are being excluded from the administration’s plans, including those fleeing religious persecution, Afghan allies stuck in dangerous conditions overseas, and family reunification cases.
- Resume full adjudication of refugee green card applications, and establish a channel through which members of Congress can request expedited adjudication for applicants facing termination of medical coverage.
- End unnecessary re-vetting of refugees who have already cleared the most rigorous screening in the U.S. immigration system.
Refugees bring enormous benefits (economic and otherwise) to the communities where they resettle. They are small business owners, tax contributors, and job creators. Our community welcomes refugees, and I encourage you to do the same.
Thank you,
[Name]
Sample Phone Script:
“My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I am outraged by the ongoing attacks on refugees — both those stranded overseas and targeted after resettling right here in [STATE].
The administration has continued to implement an indefinite refugee resettlement ban, stranding tens of thousands of vetted and approved refugees and allowing only white South Africans to enter via “exceptions.” This is a moral failure. At the same time, USCIS has issued a memo halting green card processing for refugees and ordering the “review and re-interview” of all refugees who were resettled from 2021 to 2025. The green card halt has continued as new restrictions on access to healthcare and food assistance go into place for refugees who do not have green cards, creating a deadly bureaucratic trap.
I urge you to support the inclusion of stranded refugees and the end of the ongoing refugee ban in upcoming conversations around the resettlement program. I further urge you to end the unnecessary re-vetting of resettled refugees who have already cleared the most rigorous screening in the U.S. immigration system.
Our community welcomes refugees, and I encourage you to do the same.
Thank you,
[Name]
Sample Social Media Posts
- @[legislator]: We are stronger with refugees. A discriminatory and limited refugee program abandons our values and makes us weaker! #DefendRefuge
- @[legislator]: Keep America Welcoming. Our communities are stronger when we stand with our new neighbors. #RefugeesWelcome #ImmigrantsWelcome
- @[legislator]: Attempting to “review” and terminate the lawful status of refugees who have been promised permanent safety in this country is un-American. We must stand by refugees in our communities!