RCUSA Members United in Outrage Over Record-Low, Unlawful Refugee Admissions Goal for FY26 and the Abandonment of Those Most in Need of Protection

Washington, DC — RCUSA is gravely concerned by the administration’s historic-low refugee admissions goal for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) of 7,500. This Presidential Determination (PD) violates statutory obligations, in light of the administration’s failure to conduct legally-mandated congressional consultations prior to issuing the PD. This decision is not only a moral failure, but a deliberate abandonment of America’s longstanding humanitarian values, legal obligations, and global leadership in refugee protection. To be clear, right now refugees are not being resettled, the refugee ban remains in place, and the President continues to prioritize Afrikaners over and above the tens of thousands of refugees, previously conditionally approved for U.S. resettlement, whom we have left stranded.

RCUSA’s previous statement on the President’s defiance of U.S. law and our moral obligations is available here and information on our emergency press conference with Congressman Raskin, refugee leaders, advocates, and refugee-serving organizations from last Friday can be found here.

The following RCUSA member organizations and partners have issued statements condemning the FY26 admissions goal and the prioritization embedded in the determination:

• Church World Service – “CWS Condemns Administration Refugee Plan as Moral Failure and Affront to American Values”
• Ethiopian Community Development Council – “Historic Low in U.S. Refugee Admissions Contradicts Global Humanitarian Needs”
• Global Refuge – “Refugee Cap Finalized at Record-Low 7,500 for FY 2026”
• HIAS – “HIAS Devastated by Refugee Admissions Priorities”
  
• Human Rights First – “Human Rights First Condemns Blatantly Racist and Wholly Inadequate Presidential Determination on Refugee Admission”
• Interfaith Immigration Coalition – “Faith Groups Condemn All Time Low Refugee Resettlement Goal”
• International Refugee Assistance Project – “Administration Undermines Refugee Act With New Presidential Determination”
• International Rescue Committee – “IRC Urges US Administration to Reconsider Decision on Refugee Admissions Cap for Fiscal Year 2026″
  
• Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area – “LSSNCA Condemns Historic Low FY2026 Refugee Admission Cap”
• Refugee Congress – “Refugee Congress Condemns Historic Low Refugee Admissions Cap and Discriminatory Prioritization That Abandons the Most Vulnerable”
• Refugees International – “Trump Administration Makes Mockery of U.S. Refugee Program”
• U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants – “Press Release: Amid Record Global Displacement, U.S. Lowers Refugee Admissions to Historic Lows”
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – “Refugee Resettlement Must Remain a Safe and Secure Legal Pathway, Says Bishop Seitz”
• We Are All America – “Advocates Decry Lack of American Leadership with Presidential Determination on Refugee Resettlement”
• Welcome with Dignity – “The Welcome With Dignity Campaign Decries the U.S. Government’s Finalized Refugee Cap for FY 2026, an Affront to People Seeking Safety Around the World”
• Women’s Refugee Commission – “Women’s Refugee Commission Condemns Record-Low U.S. Refugee Admissions Cap”
  
• #AfghanEvac – “Our Statement regarding the betrayal of Afghan Allies in the FY26 Presidential Determination for refugees”

Media Contact: Mariam Sayeed, msayeed@rcusa.org

RCUSA is a diverse coalition advocating for just and humane laws and policies, and the promotion of dialogue and communication among government, civil society, and those who need protection and welcome. Individual RCUSA members do not all address all refugee-related issues, nor do all individual members approach common refugee-related issues identically.

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