CAIRO: The International Rescue Committee is calling President Donald Trump's suspension of the US refugee resettlement programme a "harmful and hasty" decision.

In a statement issued late Friday night after the suspension was announced, IRC President David Miliband said, "America must remain true to its core values. America must remain a beacon of hope."

The IRC statement declared that the US vetting process for prospective refugees is already robust — involving biometric screening and up to 36 months of vetting by "12 to 15 government agencies."

Miliband praised The United States' record as a resettlement destination and said, "This is no time for America to turn its back on people ready to become patriotic Americans."