Minneapolis: The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued a new order by which thousands of refugees present in the country who are living here legally but do not yet have permanent residence can be arrested. A memo filed by the Department of Home Affairs (DHS) ahead of a federal court hearing in Minnesota on Thursday said that refugees applying for a ‘green card’ will have to remain in federal custody for a year after entering the US for their application to be reviewed.

Fear among more than 200,000 people

The memo filed Wednesday said DHS “can detain immigrants for the duration of the inspection and verification process.” Human rights activists and resettlement groups have strongly criticized this order and it will probably face legal challenges. This order may create confusion and fear among the approximately 200,000 refugees who came to America during the administration of former President Joe Biden. This order is the latest action taken by the Trump administration on immigration restrictions.

Which people does Trump want to expel?

Late last year, a memo obtained by the ‘Associated Press’ (AP) said that the Trump administration was planning to review all refugees who came to the US during the Biden administration and that ‘green card’ approval for refugees who came during Biden’s tenure was immediately suspended. The administration cited national security and economic concerns for the policy change. However, experts say that refugees entering the country are already thoroughly screened.