Trump Administration Halts Refugee Program, Leaving LGBTQ Refugees in Limbo
The U.S. State Department has abruptly canceled travel plans for thousands of refugees already approved to resettle in the United States. Persecuted LGBTQ refugees in East Africa are left in Limbo.
This decision follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which has long served as a lifeline for persecuted individuals worldwide, including LGBTQ people fleeing violence and discrimination.
Refugees in camps across South Sudan and elsewhere, who had hoped to begin new lives in the U.S., now face an uncertain future. Some members of this vulnerable population had already reached the U.S., but many others remain stranded, their dreams of safety dashed by the new policy.
Refugee status cancelled over night
The New York Times reported that more than 10,000 refugees were in the final stages of resettlement when their flights were canceled.
The Trump administration’s executive order has effectively frozen the multi-agency process of admitting refugees, pending a review to determine whether resettlement aligns with national interests.
The review period is set for 90 days, but advocates fear the program may never resume, given Trump’s track record of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.
The halt also impacts the Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program launched in 2023 to allow Americans to assist refugees directly. Welcome.US, an organization dedicated to mobilizing support for refugees, confirmed that the suspension will take effect on January 27, except in rare, case-by-case exceptions.
Adding to the challenges, Trump has also terminated the CBP One app, which previously helped streamline legal migration and reduce unauthorized border crossings. This leaves refugees with even fewer avenues to seek safety in the U.S.
Protests from refugee organizations
The International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization, urges the Trump administration to reverse course, maintain the resettlement program and work with its partners around the world to maintain global resettlement slots:
“If the program is not restored, political dissidents, religious minorities, and the most vulnerable victims of war and disaster will pay the price, and so will the United States.”
LGBTQ refugees in East Africa in jeopardy
The situation in refugee camps in Kenya and South Sudan can serve as an example of the severe negative consequences facing LGBTQ refugees.
Ugandan LGBTQ refugees are particularly vulnerable, facing severe discrimination not only in their home countries but also in refugee camps in Kenya and South Sudan.
We have reports of Ugandan LGBTQ refugees who left the UNHCR Kakuma camp in Kenya, because of reports of refugees getting help in one of the camps in South Sudan. Indeed, some of them had already been repatriated to the US, but many are left behind now that the US has closed its borders. Many are now exploring options to seek refuge in Canada, but their immediate prospects remain grim.
For now, these individuals are caught in a state of limbo, awaiting clarity on their futures.
As the Trump administration’s policy shift draws widespread criticism, advocacy groups are exploring legal challenges to overturn the suspension and restore hope to those seeking safety.
Source: LGBTQ Refugees in East Africa
See also: The Life of an Ugandan LGBTQ Refugee in South Sudan
Vetted crowdfunding campaigns for refugees in Kenya and South Sudan:
Illustration: vertukha
Originally published at https://trans-express.lgbt on January 24, 2025.
