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U.S. refugee freeze leaves Afghan allies in limbo
The Trump administration has temporarily paused Afghan refugee resettlement programs and halted Special Immigrant Visa approvals, leaving thousands of Afghans—many of whom assisted U.S. forces—stranded. Advocates and veterans are urging the government to resume the process, as families remain in limbo. FOX 5’s Teresa Priolo reports.
EAST HARTFORD - An Afghan refugee who lives in New Haven was detained by ICE outside a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration service center on July 16.
Afghan refugee detained while waiting in line for Green Card
What we know:
Afghan refugee and U.S.-affiliated Afghan interpreter Zia, who lives in New Haven, Connecticut, traveled to the United States by way of an approved humanitarian parole visa – he also has a pending Green Card application.
Zia was detained by ICE agents outside a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration service center in East Hartford, Connecticut. He was issued an Order of Expedited Removal while in an ICE detention facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts based on the claim that he had entered the U.S. illegally.
Expedited removal is a process by which low-level immigration officers can remove certain noncitizens from the country without a hearing before an immigration judge.
A federal judge has temporarily stayed Zia's removal.
What they're saying:
A press conference was held earlier today, July 22, to address Zia's current situation. The conference was hosted by the leadership of AfghanEvac and Zia's attorney – Senator Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Bill Keating attended the press conference.
Blumenthal is a leading sponsor of the Afghan Adjustment Act, legislation that would allow Afghans who sought refuge in the country to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting.
Trump suspends U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
The backstory:
President Donald Trump's executive order "Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program" put a pause on the plans of Afghan allies who had previously been approved for resettlement in the United States.
Thousands of Afghans in the country are no longer protected from deportation after a federal appeals court refused to postpone the Trump administration's decision to end their legal status, the Associated Press reports.
The Source: This article includes information provided by a press release from U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal's office and reporting from the Associated Press.