CLEVELAND — Thousands of refugees who had been approved to resettle in the United States are now in limbo after President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the refugee resettlement program. The order, enacted just hours after Trump took office, halts resettlement for at least 90 days, leaving many refugees stranded in over 30 countries.
A significant portion of those affected are Afghan nationals who assisted U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. Samantha Soloman, an immigration lawyer, said many of these individuals now face an uncertain future.
“They left Afghanistan thinking they were gonna have a life here,” Soloman said. “And the fact is that they can't go back to Afghanistan. They have already helped the U.S. military. They are going to have targets on their back.”
Global Cleveland, an organization that helps refugees resettle, confirmed that 1,500 refugees arrived in Northeast Ohio in 2024. However, it remains unclear if any of the individuals currently stranded overseas will make their way to the region.
Tom Young, a state representative from Ohio’s 37th House District, said the suspension provides an opportunity to evaluate the refugee and immigration process.
“I have to agree with the president that let's take a look at this, and let's look at this as a total picture,” Young said.
The issue of immigration was a key topic during the recent election, with concerns about national security driving much of the debate.
“You can't assess the entire situation with inflows of immigrants coming to our country, because you don't know who the bad guys are, you don't know who the good guys are,” Young said.
Still, many argue that refugees are heavily vetted and pose little threat.
“If you actually look at things proportional wise, I mean, it's just like any other group,” Soloman said. “There is a small [group] of individuals who are quote unquote 'bad' who are breaking the law. The majority are actually individuals who are trying to work hard, who fled a dangerous situation, who have been vetted by international organizations to be identified as somebody that needs help, i.e., a refugee.”
The suspension has left thousands of refugees—many of whom have already been through extensive vetting and have work visas waiting for them—in limbo.
“I've had many friends who've come from other countries, the legal way into the United States,” Young said. “They would be willing to wait 90 more days to come to a republic that they've always dreamed of.”
However, Soloman cautioned that the 90-day suspension could be just the beginning of a much longer delay.
“This could go way beyond that,” she said.
For now, refugees hoping to start new lives in the United States will have to wait.
