State Department Seeks to Create “Office of Remigration” in Restructuring

The State Department plans to create an “Office of Remigration” in a sweeping reorganization drive tied to the Trump administration’s efforts to deport millions of immigrants, a department official told Axios Thursday.

The big picture: The proposed new office would signal the State Department’s shift from helping refugees to removing immigrants, even as it employs the term “remigration” — a concept that critics say has a troubled history in Europe, where it’s used by far-right groups.

Driving the news: The State Department on Thursday announced a proposed overhaul that would cut various programs and staff.

• The Office of Remigration would be part of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, a State Department official said.
• The proposal calls for an even deeper cut to domestic staffing than the 15% reduction that was floated in April.
• The department also intends to eliminate several divisions overseeing America’s 20-year presence in Afghanistan, including an office responsible for resettling Afghan allies who supported U.S. military operations.

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Yes, but: “The way that it worked before, Population Refugee Migration was basically an entire bureau dedicated to bringing people into the United States,” said the State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

• “It had the migration function — it’s in the name — we’re just reversing the flow of migrants who shouldn’t be here to go out of the country.”

Zoom in: A more detailed proposal sent to Congress proposes prioritizing migration and border issues over refugee resettlement.

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• “Reflecting core administration priorities, these offices will be substantially reorganized to shift focus towards supporting the Administration’s efforts to return illegal aliens to their country of origin or legal status,” the document said.

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