Press Release: Congressman Raskin, Refugee Leaders, Advocates, and Refugee-serving Organizations Express Outrage in Response to Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for FY 2026

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Raskin, refugee leaders, advocates, and refugee-serving organizations hosted an emergency press conference in response to the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026, revealing President Trump set a historic-low refugee admissions goal of 7,500, primarily for Afrikaners and others facing “unjust discrimination,” largely at the expense of the most at-risk refugees.

The PD, signed by the President on September 30 without first conducting Congressional consultations or transmitting a report to Congress, as required by U.S. law, abandons America’s moral leadership on refugee and humanitarian protection and leaves vulnerable populations stranded in dangerous conditions worldwide. Refugee Council USA’s statement in response to the PD is available here.

The recording of the press conference is available here.

The Honorable Jamie Raskin, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member, Representing Maryland’s 8th District: “There are major process flaws because the administration never consulted the majority or minority leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, never came and spoke to Congress despite the fact that is required by law and has never been violated before, to my knowledge, by any administration.”

Laurie Ball Cooper, Vice President for U.S. Legal Programs, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP): “About 120,000 refugees were conditionally approved on inauguration day and were only awaiting final processing. These individuals – who are fleeing severe persecution or have been waiting for years to see their families again – are still waiting for their chance for safety. Instead of continuing the Refugee Act’s nearly half-century legacy of welcoming the most persecuted, the president has now proposed a race-based system of refugee admission that privileges white individuals while continuing its ban of others.”

Erol Kekic, Chief Strategy Officer, Church World Service: “Through both Democratic and Republican administrations, this bipartisan, public-private partnership has been a model of humanitarian leadership. Together, we have resettled millions of refugees, saved countless lives, and strengthened and enriched communities across the country. With today’s determination, the administration is going far further than it ever has before – not only to dismantle our humanitarian infrastructure but to undermine and corrupt the core moral principles upon which our work rests. Over 100,000 refugees who had been through years of vetting and were approved to come to the U.S. remain stranded. We cannot abandon them, and we call on this administration to immediately reverse course to preserve this country’s proud legacy of protecting those in harm’s way.”