The Trump administration has reduced the time refugees have to challenge the revocation of their legal status from 30 days to just 10, a change that advocates warn could expose tens of thousands of people who fled persecution to deportation.
The policy, effective Wednesday, October 14, comes as the administration reviews the cases of at least 185,000 refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden whose applications for permanent residency remain pending, according to The Associated Press.
Federal officials say the shorter deadline is intended to address concerns about refugees who may have been admitted despite being ineligible for protection.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler accused the Biden administration of weakening screening procedures to accelerate admissions, saying the government was ensuring refugee status remained limited to those legally eligible.
Refugee organizations dispute those allegations and argue that 10 days is insufficient to secure legal representation, obtain records and prepare a response.
"These families did everything asked of them," Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president of Global Refuge, told the AP, citing the interviews, background checks and years of waiting refugees undergo before entering the United States.
Church World Service warned that the shortened deadline would leave refugees with "no meaningful opportunity" to contest termination.
The change follows broader restrictions on refugee admissions. CNN reported September 22 that the administration had informed Congress of plans to admit 17,500 refugees in fiscal year 2027, most of them white South Africans. The administration has prioritized Afrikaners, citing alleged racial discrimination in South Africa. South African authorities reject Trump's claims that white South Africans face genocide.
A July analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice documented the administration's suspension of refugee processing, restrictions on asylum applications and reviews of refugees already admitted. The center noted that refugee applicants undergo extensive screening, including interviews, fingerprinting and checks against federal and international security databases.
Refugees receive protection after applying from outside the United States, unlike asylum seekers, who request protection at the border or after entering the country. The latest policy does not specify how many people will lose their status.
© {{Year}} Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.