Immigration Quarterly Update Winter 2025 Immigration

With the beginning of a new presidential administration in the United States as of January 20, 2025, several federal orders have been signed impacting refugee and immigrant populations. New orders and memos impacting these populations continue to be implemented. Here is a broad overview of these orders and those populations impacted as of January 29, 2025: 

• Asylum Seekers: Since May 2023, asylum seekers arriving at the southern United States border have been required to request asylum by making an appointment via the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) One mobile app. This app was shut down on January 20^th and 30,000 existing appointments were cancelled. A new executive order issued the same day barred all new asylum seekers from entering the country.  NPR highlights the details of this order in this article. 
• Refugee Resettlement: The refugee resettlement program, which provides a legal pathway for refugees to come to the United States, was suspended via executive order on January 20^th until further review. The order states that decisions to resume the program will be made within 90 days. The administration also sent refugee resettlement agencies a memo on January 24^th ordering an immediate funding freeze and stop work order for current programs providing support to refugees already in the country.  Local agencies have commented on these federal changes in recent articles in the Seattle Times and the Seattle PI. 
• Special Immigrant Visa Holders: While the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program has not been specifically impacted by executive orders thus far, a few executive actions have essentially halted the program. A pause on foreign aid funding has halted flights for 40,000 SIVs slated to arrive in the United States in the coming months, and a pause on funding for refugee resettlement agencies has removed the resettlement support SIVs rely on when first arriving in the US. It is currently unclear when or if these flights and resettlement support will continue. 
• Parolees: Parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans are now paused pending further review. A memo from the new administration also gives Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the power to deport parolees admitted under this status. 

Other executive orders impacting immigrants and refugees include: 

• An order to immediately deport those in the US without legal status and the expansion of ‘expedited removal,’ a policy that allows the US to deport immigrants without a court hearing 
• Declaring a national emergency at the southern border to allow US military deployment 
• An order to end birthright citizenship 
• Expanding use of immigration detention 
• Allowing the Department of Homeland Security to delegate its immigration enforcement authority to local law enforcement agencies 
• Ending policies that bar immigration enforcement in hospitals, schools, and churches 

• Bob Ferguson, governor of Washington State, signed an executive order to create a family separation rapid response team in the state of Washington in response to mass deportation orders by the federal government. Read the order in full here: Protecting Immigrant Families and Responding to Family Separation.   
• The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction published new guidance on immigration enforcement in public schools in the state: Protections for Immigrant Students in Washington’s K–12 Public Schools. Read more about this guidance in an article by Northwest Public Broadcasting here. 
• The Tri-City Herald recently published a guide to immigrant resources in Washington state: A Guide to Immigrant Rights and Resources in WA State, for Migrants, Employers and Allies 
• The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has a new website with guidance around immigration policy changes: Planning for Changes in Federal Immigration Policies and Practices 

Many providers are reporting stress and uncertainty around the slew of executive orders involving immigration, and how to best advocate for patients who may be impacted by new immigration policies. First and foremost, providers should refer to their institutional policies for up-to-date guidance around in-house procedures. Below are additional resources created by external groups which may be of use to those advocating for patients’ rights.   

*Note: Harborview Medical Center is a public institution that complies with regulatory policy. These materials may not reflect the most updated institutional policy around immigration enforcement action. 

• The Immigrant Defense Project has an informational website, Emergency Preparedness for Those at Risk of Deportation, to help individuals prepare for possible immigration action. Immigration Defense Project, LINK HERE
• IRC’s Center for Adjustment, Resilience, and Recovery recently published a Patient Rights Flyer that provides information about patient rights in hospital settings and a guide for speaking to clients expressing fear related to potential immigration enforcement action  
• The National Immigration Law Center has updated its ‘Know Your Rights’ guide for health care providers 
• The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network has flyers that specify immigrant rights under Washington state law and know your rights information with example immigration warrants for public use