A coalition of 123 national, state, and local organizations from across the United States (U.S.) is calling on Congress to rescind President Trump’s executive order “Realigning USRAP.” The executive order has suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and frozen humanitarian assistance to millions of people needing assistance. The Feminist Majority Foundation, among the signatories, is advocating for the reinstatement of USRAP and humanitarian assistance to support vulnerable populations.
In a joint letter, the organizations – including resettlement agencies, faith-based groups, and human rights organizations – warn that the suspension of refugee resettlement threatens global security, endangers lives, and undermines American “values of compassion and welcome.” It states that “banning refugees is bad for America, and for American values.”
The letter details the devastating impact of the executive order, citing cases of Afghan minors separated from their families and elderly refugees left stranded in unsafe conditions. Families of the Afghan minors and hundreds of others who assisted the U.S. mission in Afghanistan were ready to travel to the U.S. before their plans were abruptly halted by the order. These families, already waiting over three years for reunification, now face further uncertainty and hardship.
Many Afghan individuals and families, particularly women, who have been waiting in Pakistan for over three years to be resettled in the U.S. are now being deported back to Afghanistan, where they face imminent threats of persecution by the Taliban. Stranded Afghan refugees in Pakistan are running out of financial resources and legal documentation, making it increasingly difficult to avoid deportation by the police in Pakistan.
The organizations are urging Congress to act swiftly by reversing the executive orders, and “resume all foreign aid while the 90-day review continues.” It asks to revoke “the stop work orders the State Department issued to the ten national resettlement agencies, provide for the resettlement of particularly vulnerable refugees,” and “increase refugee processing and admissions as soon as the suspension ends.” They emphasize that refugee resettlement strengthens communities and economies, with newcomers making significant contributions to the workforce. The letter calls for accountability in the administration’s review of USRAP and urges lawmakers to uphold America’s commitment to humanitarian protection.
The coalition of organizations also argues that suspending humanitarian programs not only harms vulnerable refugees but also weakens U.S. diplomatic and security interests, destabilizing key allies that host large refugee populations.