Here is the rewritten article:
Refugees who had been approved to travel to the United States before a Jan. 27 deadline suspending America’s refugee resettlement program have had their travel plans cancelled by the Trump administration.
Thousands of refugees are now stranded at various locations around the globe. The suspension was in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday. It left open the possibility that people who had undergone the lengthy process to be approved as refugees and permitted to come to the U.S., and had flights booked before that deadline, might still be able to get in under the wire.
However, in an email reviewed by The Associated Press, the U.S. agency overseeing refugee processing and arrival told staff and stakeholders that “refugee arrival to the United States have been suspended until further notice.”
Among those affected are the more than 1,600 Afghans cleared to resettle in the U.S. as part of the program that the Biden administration set up after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. That number includes those who worked alongside American soldiers during the war as well as family members of active-duty U.S. military personnel.
Some of those Afghans who fled after the Taliban seized power appealed Wednesday to Trump to exempt them from the order, some saying they risked their lives to support U.S. troops.
An estimated 15,000 Afghans are waiting in Pakistan to be approved for resettlement in the U.S. via an American government program. It was set up to help Afghans at risk under the Taliban because of their work with the U.S. government, media, aid agencies and rights groups, after U.S. troops pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, when the Taliban took power.
There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, where authorities have urged the world community to decide the fate of the 1.45 million Afghan refugees, saying they cannot stay indefinitely.
Some Afghans are traumatized by the suspension. An Afghan woman, Farzana Umeed, and a man, Sarfraz Ahmed, said in an interview on the outskirts of Islamabad that they are traumatized over the suspension of the program. “I virtually wept last night when we heard this news,” Umeed said. She said it is difficult for her to live in Pakistan, and she cannot travel to America either. “Returning to my home country also means taking a huge risk. What should I do?” she asked, and urged Trump to reverse his decision.
Conclusion:
The suspension of the refugee resettlement program has left thousands of refugees stranded and uncertain about their future. The Trump administration’s decision has caused widespread concern and anxiety among those who have been approved to resettle in the U.S. The situation is particularly dire for Afghans who have already fled their homeland and are now facing uncertainty and trauma.
FAQs:
Q: What is the purpose of the refugee resettlement program?
A: The refugee resettlement program is designed to provide a safe haven for individuals fleeing persecution, conflict, or natural disasters.
Q: How many Afghans are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.?
A: An estimated 15,000 Afghans are waiting in Pakistan to be approved for resettlement in the U.S.
Q: What is the current status of the refugee resettlement program?
A: The program has been suspended until further notice, effective immediately.