Nominee for State Department Population, Refugees and Migration outlines 'America First' approach, faces questions on vetting and refugee priorities

The nominee for assistant secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Sept. 11 that the bureau should align foreign assistance with administration priorities, support voluntary remigration where appropriate, and pursue reforms to the international migration and asylum framework.

In opening remarks the nominee described recent reductions in border encounters and said the PRM should support the president’s “whole-of-government” efforts to secure borders while coordinating with Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and other partners. The nominee said past PRM programming ‘‘facilitated mass migration’’ and that future assistance should be tied to concrete U.S. national interests.

Why it matters: PRM oversees refugee admissions and humanitarian assistance programs that affect asylum seekers, resettlement procedures and U.S. relationships with partner countries. Committee members focused on vetting standards, prioritization of refugee groups and the Lautenberg program, which historically provided a resettlement pathway for certain Iranian religious minorities.

Key points from testimony and questioning

- Policy orientation: The nominee said they would ‘‘seek to apply’’ an America-first lens to foreign assistance managed by PRM, including streamlining staffing and consolidating programming. They said the bureau should support voluntary repatriation and press other countries to shoulder more responsibility.

- System reform: The nominee argued the post–World War II migration regime needs reform to address modern travel, communications and economic realities, and said some asylum and refugee processes have been exploited for economic migration.

- Vetting and resettlement concerns: Senators raised reports of rapid approvals for some Afrikaner refugees and asked whether vetting was robust. The nominee responded that adjudication of refugee status is done by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and pledged, if confirmed, to ensure refugees are vetted to the highest possible standards.

- Lautenberg program and religious minorities: Senator Rosen asked about efforts to restart the Lautenberg program for Iranian religious minorities. The nominee said they had worked on the issue previously as a deputy assistant secretary and had attempted to resolve logistical obstacles with European partners before COVID-19 interrupted progress.

What the record shows and does not

The hearing records the nominee’s policy priorities and repeated references to coordinating closely with DHS/USCIS on refugee admissions and vetting. The committee discussed recent directional choices on refugee quotas and prioritization but the nominee said decisions about which populations are admitted rest in part with the president and USCIS adjudication processes. The committee did not take final action or set new quotas at the hearing.

Ending

The nominee committed to work with Congress and federal partners on refugee admissions, vetting standards and overseas programming if confirmed. Senators signaled close scrutiny on vetting practices and on how PRM priorities would be set and implemented.