US Government Authorises Detention of Refugees Already Living in America
Washington, 20 February 2026
The United States has introduced a controversial policy allowing authorities to detain refugees who have lived in the country for over a year but haven’t received permanent residency. The International Rescue Committee warns this policy breaks America’s promise to families who passed rigorous security vetting and were invited to rebuild their lives safely. The new directive could affect refugees whose residency applications remain pending due to government processing delays, potentially destabilising communities that welcomed them and undermining four decades of bipartisan refugee support.
Policy Details and Scope of Authority
The newly released government memo claims sweeping authority to arrest and detain refugees who arrived through the U.S. resettlement program after completing extensive security vetting [1]. Under this policy, refugees welcomed to the United States after fleeing persecution could face detention if they have lived in the country for at least a year but have not yet been granted lawful permanent residency [1]. This includes refugees whose applications for permanent residence remain pending due to delays caused by the government itself, creating a particularly problematic situation where administrative inefficiency becomes grounds for detention [1].
Breaking Faith with America’s Refugee Programme
The policy represents a fundamental breach of the promises the United States made to refugees invited to rebuild their lives in safety, according to the International Rescue Committee [1]. Refugees arrive only after completing the most rigorous security vetting the government conducts for travellers to the United States [1]. These individuals come with the understanding that once admitted, they can begin healing, working, and contributing to the neighbourhoods, schools, and workplaces that become their new homes [1]. The policy undermines the U.S. commitment to protect refugees embodied by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), an effort that has enjoyed support from Republicans, Democrats, and Independents for more than four decades [1].
Impact on Communities and Economic Contributions
The detention policy threatens to destabilise communities that have opened their doors to welcome refugees and invested in building relationships with these new residents [1]. Research demonstrates how refugees strengthen the U.S. economy through their contributions to local communities [1]. Hans Van de Weerd, Senior Vice President for Resettlement, Asylum and Integration at the IRC, emphasised that detaining people who have already passed the most extensive immigration security screening the government conducts contradicts decades-long, bipartisan commitments to welcome families who have survived war and persecution [1]. He described the policy as ‘unnecessary, retraumatising, and profoundly unfair’ [1].
Calls for Policy Reversal
The International Rescue Committee has called on the U.S. administration to halt the rollout of this policy and end unnecessary re-vetting efforts [1]. Van de Weerd criticised the sweeping nature of the policy, noting it uses the government’s own delays in processing permanent residency applications as an excuse to detain recently resettled refugees who have committed no crime [1]. The IRC has urged a halt to these actions and a renewed commitment to the integrity and humanity of the refugee programme [1]. The organisation stressed that America has long welcomed those fleeing persecution and escaping violence, and should continue to honour its word, the rule of law, and protect the stability of families and communities [1].