U.S. places hold on refugees' arrival in Arkansas, including relatives of current residents

January 23, 2025 at 9:47 p.m.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Thirty-six people due to arrive in Northwest Arkansas in February and March, including eight family members of refugees already settled here, had their trips canceled by a presidential executive order on Monday, according to Canopy Northwest Arkansas.

"Calling someone to let them know their family member is no longer coming is devastating," said Joanna Krause, executive director of the Fayetteville-based nonprofit refugee resettlement program.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday suspending the federal Refugee Admissions Program. Canopy NWA received travel cancellation notices for pending refugee cases on Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the group. The executive order said the refugee program will be reviewed by the administration in 90 days.

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"They were certified by the United Nations as refugees in 2000 and have been waiting in a refugee camp for 25 years," Krause said of the family. "Due to instability in the country they fled, they have never been able to return home. Their children were born in the camp. They completed the extensive and rigorous vetting and screening protocol by the U.S. government."

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https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/jan/23/us-places-hold-on-refugees-arrival-in-arkansas/