The U.S. confirmed what refugee advocates hoped wouldn't happen: President Donald Trump made the official on Thursday, but in line with what the administration said it would do. One of the top U.N. refugee officials called out governments this week for using "security" concerns as an . What's next? Refugee agencies will likely face more layoffs in the U.S. Australia and Canada — which have long trailed the U.S. as the top refugee resettlement countries — may take the lead, now that the United States is opting for a diminished role in the process.
, where the community has faced persecution. A U.N. official said the move could violate the human rights principle of non-refoulement, which protects vulnerable populations from being deported to circumstances that could threaten their safety.
The U.S. government began this week. The State Department downplayed the change as a run-of-the-mill policy shift in line with the agency's own procedures. Skeptics raised concerns about a wider Trump-backed attempt to curb gay rights.
A U.S. judge said roughly 300,000 people from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan right away, despite cancellation by the Trump administration. The stay on TPS remains in effect while the judge reviews the motives behind the cancellations.
The State Department opened the annual green card — or diversity — lottery this week, and to people who were born in one of six geographical regions. Visa winners are chosen at random.
Both winners of the this year got the coveted award for their work supporting refugees and victims of gender-based violence.