TAKE ACTION: Urge Congressional, State, and Local Elected Leaders to Defend Refugees and the U.S. Resettlement Program
On October 30th, the Trump administration revealed it would publish the Presidential Determination (PD) that sets refugee admissions goal for Fiscal Year 2026 at 7,500 – a historic-low. The PD primarily allocates admissions slots for Afrikaners, largely abandoning the 120,000+ refugees who had been through years of vetting and screening and had been approved for resettlement when Trump took office. The PD also largely leaves in place the refugee ban executive order that suspended the resettlement program, currently the subject of ongoing litigation.
Refugee admissions have not resumed, as the statutorily-mandated congressional consultations with the administration have not taken place. Now that the longest government shutdown in history has ended, it is imperative that the White House schedules those consultations immediately. Meanwhile, we leave vulnerable populations stranded in dangerous conditions worldwide.
Your voice matters. It is critical that our national, state, and local elected leaders hear loudly and clearly from their constituents that we want to welcome refugees, regardless of their country of origin, race, or faith tradition, and urge them to call on President Trump to reverse course and restore the refugee admissions program for the most at-risk refugees around the world.
Community Resources:
- Click here for policy background and messaging guidance.
- Click here for a community advocacy toolkit from Church World Service.