(Information contained in U.S. Department of State press release dated: January 22, 2021)
January 22, 2021
Press statement
Daniel B. Smith, Acting Secretary of State
Ensuring Our Safety and Security through a 90-Day Suspension of the Direct Access Program for U.S.-Affiliated Iraqis
Effective January 22, 2021, the United States is suspending the Direct Access Program for U.S.-Affiliated Iraqis for 90 days. As the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Justice is prosecuting individuals for stealing U.S. government records from the Department of State’s Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System to take advantage...