washington forty former u.s. diplomats national security officials urge secretary state rex tillerson eliminate state department office handle refugees letter see reuters monday letter argue trump administration proposal transfer responsibilities bureau population refugees migration prm agencies would undercut u.s. diplomatic leverage grapple foreign crises among retire officials sign letter former deputy secretary state william burn former secretaries state political affairs nicholas burn wendy sherman former middle east peace envoy dennis ross whether iraq afghanistan kenya turkey south sudan department state efforts address humanitarian crises must include tight coordination diplomatic engagement emergency assistance letter also sign 18 executives non-governmental aid agencies say convince elimination prm assistance function would profound negative implications secretary state capacity influence policy issue key concern unite state letter say state department spokeswoman heather nauert say tillerson preconceive notions outcome transformation process begin state department add tillerson view work bureau consular affairs prm essential department mission secure border protect american people memo office management budget see reuters propose give prm responsibility u.s. refugee admission program help resettle refugees unite state department homeland security memo first report cnn june 30 former official say prepare white house domestic policy council propose transfer responsibilities elsewhere eliminate bureau memo letter former officials appear part wide struggle refugee immigration policy include executive order sign president donald trump challenge court temporarily ban refugees citizens muslim-majority countries enter internal debate cost resettle refugees crackdown illegal immigration issue may come senate foreign relations committee hear p.m. 2100 gmt monday deputy secretary state john sullivan schedule testify state department reorganization plan ex-u.s. diplomats seek save state department refugee office