Refugee, Asylum, and Humanitarian Protection Advocacy Days
Throughout the years, RCUSA's Advocacy Days have prioritized centering advocates with lived experience in forced displacement to establish and build relationships with key congressional offices.
Participants utilize the week to galvanize and activate bipartisan support for refugee, asylum, and humanitarian programs, to lay the foundation for directly impacted leaders to advocate in their own communities, and ensure a meaningful opportunity for diverse constituents’ voices to be heard by their elected leaders.
The U.S. resettlement and asylum programs as we know it have ended – and absent urgent congressional intervention, these programs will never be the same. It’s essential that our elected leaders pressure the federal government to restore refugee and asylum protections – and live out the best of who we are.
Over 122.6 million people are facing forced displacement from armed conflict, climate-related disasters, or persecution. After spending the last four years rebuilding and strengthening our nation’s humanitarian protections, such as the U.S. resettlement program, asylum system, and Afghan relocation effort, the existential crisis created by the Trump administration cannot be overstated. The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle pathways to safety for forcibly displaced people (FDP) includes indefinitely suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), re-implementing severe anti-refugee and anti-asylum restrictions, and ending crucial humanitarian pathways.
Through the tireless advocacy undertaken by refugee and forcibly displaced community leaders, local service providers, and diverse array of solidarity partners, we endured through the first Trump administration. Now is a crucial time for advocates to come together once again in Washington, D.C. and champion positive legislation and oversight actions in support of refugees, asylum seekers, forcibly displaced populations, stateless people, and other newcomers and longtime immigrant neighbors. This year’s Advocacy Days will serve as a springboard for participants to leverage their Congressional connections, share their experiences, and cultivate community networks to support subsequent in-district meetings and local advocacy events.
2025 RCUSA Advocacy Days Goals
- Center advocates with lived experience of forced displacement, and lift up leaders with lived experience of forced displacement (FDPs) who are harmed by the Trump administration’s anti-refugee, anti-asylum, and anti-protection policies.
- Educate a bipartisan group of Members of Congress who oversee and fund the operations of U.S. humanitarian programs (including USRAP & asylum) – and should support pro-refugee, pro-asylum, pro-protection policies.
- Equip advocates with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to effectively engage with their national – as well as state/local – elected officials, ensuring their voices are heard and their advocacy efforts have a meaningful impact.
- Mobilize advocates to take the skills they’ve strengthened or developed during Advocacy Days back “home” to their districts.
- Provide opportunities for refugee and FDP leaders to network and collaborate, alongside a diverse array of dedicated advocates. Click here to help support advocates attend the 2025 Advocacy Days!
Past Advocacy Days Highlights
Last year, we had over 300 participants, with 35 states represented among the attendees. Participants attended at least 147 meetings (at least 89 House, and 58 Senate) to deliver messages of support for pro-refugee policies, adequate appropriations, and necessary oversight of life-saving humanitarian protections. In total, we hosted 174 participants with lived experience of forced displacement, representing 50 countries of origin. We were able to offer scholarships to 75 of these participants.
