Refugee Council USA Calls for Robust FY 2026 Refugee Admissions Goal, Urges Elected Leaders to Renew American Humanitarian Values and Fully Restore Refugee and Humanitarian Protections

Washington, DC – Refugee Council USA calls on the Administration to fulfill its legal responsibilities under the Refugee Act of 1980 by conducting meaningful consultations with Congress and signing a Presidential Determination (PD) by October 1, 2025. RCUSA recommends a Presidential Determination of 125,000 refugee admissions for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). This level reflects both the global scale of need and the more than 120,000 refugees already conditionally approved for resettlement, many of whom are separated from loved ones and family members in the U.S. RCUSA further urges congressional, state, and local elected leaders to fully restore refugees’ access to basic healthcare, nutrition assistance, and social services to ensure that newly arriving families have the opportunity to thrive. 

Built on the fabric of community and bipartisan support, the U.S. resettlement program is rooted in public-private partnerships and benefits from robust local community engagement, including among state and local elected leaders from all fifty states, and refugees’ economic contributions. Yet, since January 20th, the Trump administration has dismantled our nation’s ability to welcome refugees, piece by piece. The administration has resettled only a small number of refugees – a group of Afrikaners, as well as some refugees admitted through ongoing litigation and under waivers to the refugee ban – while it has gutted refugee assistance in the United States and abroad. We are alarmed by recent reports that the administration intends to designate a majority of refugee resettlement places in FY26 to Afrikaners, while taking away places from refugees who have been waiting for resettlement for years or even decades. The most vulnerable refugees should be admitted, regardless of their country of origin, race, or faith tradition. 

Overall, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that more than 123 million people are displaced from their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and events seriously disturbing public order, such as climate-induced displacement. RCUSA calls attention to particular populations of concern and in need of urgent assistance and resettlement, such as: Rohingya refugees fleeing genocide in Burma; Sudanese refugees fleeing Sudan’s unprecedented hunger and displacement as war continues; Ethiopian refugees displaced by complex internal crises and ethnic tensions; Eritrean refugees fleeing political repression; women, children, and ethnic minorities from the Democratic Republic of Congo displaced by ongoing armed conflict; political dissidents and victims of religious persecution fleeing Central American countries like Nicaragua, former Soviet Union countries, and the Middle East; at-risk Afghans who face persecution (by the Taliban) if returned, such as Afghan women and girls, ethnic and religious minorities, and Afghans who had worked with the U.S. government or military; unaccompanied refugee minors; family reunification cases; LGBTQI+ refugees; Venezuelans fleeing rampant violence and worsening displacement in Venezuela; those who continue to flee the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine; and a growing number of people fleeing China.

“The PD is the annual refugee admissions goal, intended to be reflective of global need and our moral and legal obligations to welcome the most vulnerable fleeing violence and persecution – particularly in areas of protracted displacement crises. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) long served as a pillar of excellence, saving the lives of refugees looking for a safe place to call home. But since January 20th, the Trump administration has run roughshod over refugee and humanitarian protections and decimated our nation’s capacity to assist overseas and welcome to the U.S. refugees, Afghans who assisted the U.S. mission, and other forcibly displaced populations. Congress doubled down on this damage by passing budget reconciliation legislation that forces refugee families to go hungry or without healthcare. U.S. refugee policy resonates around the world; when we pull back, it emboldens other nations to do the same. With more than 36 million refugees globally, our PD recommendation recognizes that the need for bold U.S. leadership has never been greater,” said John Slocum, Executive Director of Refugee Council USA.

“The alarming and continuous rise in the number of people who are forcibly displaced is a warning that we need to step up to – not step out of – our responsibility of preserving the US Refugee Resettlement Program and the role that the US has historically played in welcoming refugees. As an organization built and led by people who have experienced displacement, Refugee Congress knows firsthand that this is not just a moral responsibility – this is also a recognition of how crucial refugees are to building vibrant, thriving US communities. This administration – and Congress – must act to address the pipeline of more than 120,000 people who are already approved for resettlement, and commit to a refugee admissions goal of at least 125,000 for Fiscal Year 2026,” said Nili Sarit Yossinger, Executive Director, Refugee Congress.

“Refugees urgently need a safe place to live and a safe way to get there, and the Presidential Determination should reflect not only that need but also America’s great capacity to welcome – all over this country, individuals, faith groups, community groups, and others are ready to welcome with open arms not only because it is the right thing to do but also because they know how much refugees bring to American communities,” said Sharif Aly, President, International Refugee Assistance Project.

“LGBTQI+ people experiencing forced displacement are among the most vulnerable populations in the world, yet they face undue barriers to accessing pathways to protection. For decades, USRAP has been a vital lifeline to LGBTQI+ refugees. Today, that lifeline is under threat. At a moment when the current administration is escalating attacks on both LGBTQI+ communities and immigrants, restoring and protecting USRAP is not only urgent, it is a moral imperative,” said Rainbow Railroad Director of Engagement Senna Seniuk. “We know our nation is one of welcome. Between the two Trump administrations, communities across the country rallied for the restoration of the USRAP, and built new paths to welcome refugees — serving as a public declaration of the people’s values and commitment to the pursuit of building communities based in care, safety, and interdependence. USRAP must be restored and remain accessible to LGBTQI+ refugees who may otherwise be without clear paths to security.”

“The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has long represented the best of our values as Americans—welcoming the stranger, protecting human dignity, and living out the ideals etched into the base of the Statue of Liberty and woven through our faith traditions. The administration’s ongoing refugee ban and prioritization of white South Africans ahead of and instead of those already waiting in the pipeline is a betrayal of those values and has left countless refugees we pledged to protect stranded in dangerous situations,” said Erol Kekic, Chief Strategy Officer at Church World Service. “This year’s Presidential Determination is an opportunity for the administration to reverse course, set a refugee admissions target in line with global needs and our national interests, and ensure welcome to Afghans who supported the U.S. mission; African refugees who have fled violence and persecution in the Congo, Sudan, Somalia, and elsewhere; families waiting to reunite with loved ones; unaccompanied refugee children; and so many more who have already waited far too long to finally be given safety and the chance to rebuild their lives in the U.S.”

“For generations of refugees, the U.S. represented welcome and opportunity, but without a dramatic shift, it will no longer,” said Mark Hetfield, HIAS President. “In a moment when the refugee program has been dismantled, misused, and defunded, we intend to be clear about our values. HIAS, as the Jewish community’s refugee agency, calls on President Trump to issue a Presidential Refugee Determination which will simultaneously revitalize our local communities and economies, support people fleeing conflict, terror, war, and religious persecution, and uphold a long legacy of welcome.”

“As a former asylum seeker and now a U.S. citizen, I know firsthand what it means to be given a second chance at life. Refugee resettlement is not just a policy; it is a promise we make to those fleeing unimaginable violence and persecution,” said Fatima Saidi, Director of We Are All America. “At We Are All America, we witness every day how refugee and immigrant leaders are building vibrant and thriving communities across this country. To honor that strength and resilience, we must meet this moment with a bold and humane refugee admissions goal of at least 125,000 for Fiscal Year 2026. Anything less fails to reflect both the global urgency and our values. We call on the administration and Congress to act with urgency, not only to restore the full capacity of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, but to reaffirm American moral leadership in a world where displacement is reaching record levels.”

“Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges of the current decimation of the refugee resettlement program, America — in all its beautiful diversity and complexity — remains a tapestry of welcoming communities that have for decades opened their arms, hearts, and homes to refugees seeking safety and security at our doors. I have faith in this America and know that it shall prevail — that our capacity for welcoming the stranger and offering them refuge is who we are and who we will always be,” said Diya Abdo, Director, Every Campus A Refuge.

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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