Wisconsin Refugee Agencies Face Mass Layoffs as Trump Administration Suspends Resettlement Programme

2026-01-23 services

Wisconsin, 23 January 2026
Refugee resettlement organisations across Wisconsin are cutting staff and struggling to survive after the Trump administration halted most refugee admissions on Inauguration Day 2025. Lutheran Social Services eliminated nearly one-third of its workforce, whilst Jewish Social Services laid off caseworkers and housing specialists. The suspension affects thousands of approved refugees waiting in camps worldwide, with at least 27 people scheduled to arrive in Wisconsin in January alone when the programme stopped. Only South African Afrikaners remain eligible for resettlement under the new policy.

Immediate Impact on Wisconsin Resettlement Operations

The suspension has created immediate operational challenges for Wisconsin’s refugee resettlement infrastructure. Six organisations are contracted with Wisconsin’s Department of Children and Families to provide resettlement services [1], but several have been forced into drastic cost-cutting measures. Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, which had resettled 163 people between October 2024 and January 2025, fell significantly short of their fiscal year 2025 plan to resettle more than 400 people [1]. The organisation’s resettlement director, Omar Mohamed, confirmed that “at least 27 people were scheduled to arrive in January when the stop work order happened” [1].

Legal Framework and Process Disruption

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), created under the 1980 Refugee Act with historically bipartisan support [2], typically involves intensive security screenings by agencies including the FBI, DHS, and the Department of Defense, with processes taking up to 36 months [2]. President Donald Trump’s inauguration day executive order suspended the programme [1], with Executive Order 14163 calling for “realigning the U.S. refugee admissions program” [6]. Starting 27 January 2025, refugee arrivals were suspended, with reviews scheduled every 90 days [6]. However, as of 19 January 2026, the programme-wide suspension remains largely in place, with few refugees arriving due to litigation in Washington State [6].

Operation PARRIS and Enforcement Actions

The administration has launched Operation Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening (Operation PARRIS), targeting refugees who have not yet been granted Green Cards [4]. In December 2025, this operation launched in Minnesota, targeting 5,600 refugees [4]. Federal immigration agents detained dozens of lawfully present refugees, including children, in Minnesota over the weekend of 17 January 2026 [4]. ICE agents reportedly “lured refugees from their homes and transported them out of the state” [4], prompting strong condemnation from advocacy groups.

Adaptation Strategies and Future Outlook

Despite the challenges, some Wisconsin agencies are adapting their operations to serve the limited populations still eligible for resettlement. Lutheran Social Services expects to resettle up to 75 new arrivals, mostly South Africans, in the Milwaukee area [1]. Héctor Colón, Lutheran Social Services President and CEO, emphasised that “we’re here to serve everybody” [1], whilst Uma Abdi, the International Institute’s refugee program director, expressed hope “just to keep our doors open to serve not just the ones we welcomed recently, but all of those refugees and immigrants that still need support” [1].

Bronnen

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