Refugees and Asylum Policy

A Feb. 18 DHS memo directs that refugees must either obtain a green card within a year or "present themselves to the agency" for inspection, and says failure to do so can result in detention — formally rescinding prior guidance that not applying for a green card was not grounds for deportation. Refugee groups and the memo’s filing in a pending federal case warn the change could affect tens of thousands (largely recent arrivals), effectively conditions admission on compliance and raises deportation risk amid cuts to resettlement funding that help with green‑card applications.