Refugees who were slated to travel to the United States after a years-long and often cumbersome process have had their flights canceled, according to a State Department memo to resettlement partners obtained by CNN.

The surprise halt of travel this week scuttled the hopes of last-minute arrivals as Donald Trump's refugee shutdown took hold early.

The decision leaves refugees who have completed a lengthy process stranded abroad and facing extended separation from loved ones already in the U.S.

Trump pauses the refugee resettlement program this week as part of a series of executive orders cracking down on immigration.