Refugee Council USA Denounces Harmful Refugee Benefits Cuts in Budget Reconciliation Package

Washington, DC — Refugee Council USA strongly condemns the harmful provisions included in the House-passed budget reconciliation bill (H.R.1) and current Senate proposals that would strip hundreds of thousands of refugees, asylees, and other humanitarian entrants of critical food and health support. Today, we join more than 100 national, state, and local organizations in urging Congress to reverse course and reject any legislation that denies access to basic human needs like nutrition and medical care to those we pledged to protect.

As outlined in our joint community sign-on letter, the proposed cuts would:

• Deny SNAP food assistance to refugee and humanitarian populations, cutting off basic nutrition to hundreds of individuals.
• Exclude these populations from Medicaid eligibility, stripping access to life-sustaining medical care.
• End Medicare eligibility for refugees and other new arrivals, as well as immigrants who have worked and paid into the system for over a decade.
• Block access to the Premium Tax Credit, which helps cover the cost of health insurance.

“These proposals represent a shocking reversal of bipartisan commitments that have, for decades, helped newcomers recover, rebuild, and contribute to their new communities. Forcing refugee families to go hungry or without health care will not strengthen our economy or national security, but will do irreparable harm to individuals we have promised to protect and impose unnecessary costs on local systems already under strain,” said John Slocum, Executive Director, Refugee Council USA.

“Cutting off SNAP, Medicare and Medicaid to resettled refugees and those who have been granted asylum is as counterproductive as it is mean-spirited. It will not result in cost savings. To the contrary, it will merely shift the costs to states and localities that are already over-burdened. Denying access to the very people that this country committed to welcoming will result in families struggling unnecessarily while they do everything they can to reestablish their lives in their new communities. It’s not too late to fix this. HIAS urges the Senate to ensure that its reconciliation bill leaves access to these essential programs intact for refugees, asylees and other humanitarian entrants,” said Naomi Steinberg, Vice President, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, HIAS.

These cuts come at a time when the world is facing historic levels of forced displacement, and as communities across the U.S. are working hard to welcome newcomers — from Afghan allies to Ukrainian humanitarian parolees to survivors of trafficking and torture. Moreover, these policy decisions must be seen in the broader context of recent legislative and executive actions that have increasingly targeted immigrant and refugee populations, including the reinstatement of discriminatory travel bans and sharp reductions in refugee admissions and resettlement support.

As we mark World Refugee Day this week and reflect on Juneteenth, a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for justice and equality, we are called to resist policies that perpetuate exclusion and systemic harm.

We urge the Senate to remove these harmful provisions before any floor vote and call on congressional leaders to craft legislation that reflects the values we claim to uphold: fairness, compassion, and opportunity for all.

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.

###