September 8, 2025
The “Refugee Pipeline” Has Been Abandoned
By Nic Wong
Since Trump took office, assistance for refugees has largely been revoked or suspended, with many recent arrivals from Afghanistan unable to bring their families.
Since President Donald Trump took office, federal assistance for refugees, once a tool for those in danger, has largely been revoked or suspended.
In Chicago, the resettlement agency RefugeeOne has witnessed the steep decline of new arrivals. Between October 2023 and September 2024, the organization helped 705 refugees. But in the federal fiscal year of 2025, that number plummeted to 50, representing a “complete shutdown of our refugee pipeline” according to Emily Parker of RefugeeOne.
This pipeline refers to the often complex administrative process of resettling refugees out of crisis and into a new country. Most recent arrivals—and the only arrivals allowed—are Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders: people in Afghanistan who worked alongside US forces contracted specifically for 365 days or more. Many of these SIV holders had to leave their families behind, unable to bring them because of the administration’s new policies.
“We can’t replace government programs. We can’t replace family reunification. We can’t physically get people out of countries,” said Parker. “Right now, all we can do is support the people that are already here.”
