Refugee re-vetting
In a court filing on February 18th, the federal administration outlined plans for arresting and re-screening resettled refugees who have lived in the United States for at least one year and have not yet adjusted to lawful permanent resident status, rescinding guidance that stated “Refugees are subject to examination and inspection by USCIS for admission to the United States as an LPR after one year’s physical presence. Failure by such individuals to apply for adjustment of status under this provision is not sufficient ground to place them in removal proceedings and therefore not a proper basis for detaining them.” The filing also describes a plan to build on Operation PARRIS (announced January 9th) and arrest, “inspect,” and potentially deport refugees throughout the country. While the courts have stopped detentions in the re-vetting process, re-vetting and interviews for adjustment of status are still taking place.
Resources for refugees and legal practitioners include:
Refugee Re-vetting and Detention Q&A (Available in multiple languages, IRAP)
https://support.iraplegalinfo.org/hc/en-us/sections/45520315239572-Refugee-Re-vetting-and-Detention
Legal Practitioner Toolkit for Refugee Re-vetting (IRAP)
https://refugeerights.org/news-resources/lkt-toolkit-for-refugee-revetting-interview-preparation
Changes to the refugee program in the United States (USA Hello)
https://usahello.org/immigration/asylum-refugees/usa-resettlement/
Official Site of The State of New Jersey