Hello Neighbor stands with deep concern for the thousands of refugees who may soon be forced back into uncertainty.

Reports indicate that the Trump administration’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may re-open and re-interview more than 200,000 refugees lawfully admitted to the United States between 2021 and early 2025, while pausing the processing of their green card applications. If enacted, this would introduce new instability into the lives of families who have already survived war, persecution, and displacement, and who have complied with every legal requirement placed before them as they rebuild their lives here.

Refugees resettled through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program undergo the most extensive security screening process in the world before ever stepping foot in the United States. They enter with lawful status, and federal law requires them to apply for permanent residency after one year — not as a privilege, but as part of the established legal path toward integration. Reopening cases that have already met these standards risks retraumatizing families, disrupting stability, and jeopardizing progress that individuals and communities have worked hard to build.

For eight years, Hello Neighbor has stood alongside refugees and immigrants in Pittsburgh and directly resettled 1,000 new neighbors and worked with over 10,000 refugees and immigrants. We have supported families through resettlement, legal services, maternal health, youth education, mentorship, and community connection. We see their resilience every day. We know their strength. And we know what is possible when families are welcomed fully, safely, and without constant fear of reversal.

“Refugee families have already been vetted, welcomed, and are rebuilding their lives here. Reopening their cases puts that stability at risk. At Hello Neighbor, we stand with our new neighbors — from arrival to belonging.”
— Sloane Davidson, CEO, Hello Neighbor

If this policy moves forward, the impact will be significant. Hello Neighbor will continue to support those affected, through trusted information, legal guidance where available, and advocacy for fairness and due process. We will work closely with our partner network, legal teams, and national collaborators to ensure families receive accurate information and know they are not facing this moment alone.

As a country, we are strongest when people feel safe enough to build a future here. When families thrive, neighborhoods thrive.

Our commitment remains unwavering:
• We believe in dignity.
• We believe in due process.
• And we believe that safety should not be reconsidered once granted.

We will continue to stand with refugee families, clearly, compassionately, and consistently, from arrival to belonging.

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