Urge Congress to Fully Restore Refugee Services and Humanitarian Protection

In July, Congress passed multiple bills that completely stripped funding away from U.S. humanitarian assistance to displaced people worldwide this fiscal year 2025 after it passed the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), which excluded refugees and newcomers from eligibility for Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP (food stamps), and other programs. Meanwhile, the indefinite refugee ban remains in place with vanishingly few new arrivals, stranding thousands of refugees without basic support, separated from loved ones, and in dangerous situations.

While Congress is at home for their in-district period in August, now is a critical time to make your voice heard to your Members of Congress. They need to hear that their communities welcome refugees – and want to defend investments for refugee services and fully restore refugee admissions. It is critical that Congress hears how eviscerating the refugee program devastates local communities – before Congress returns in September to negotiate federal funding in Fiscal Year 2026 and consults with the White House around the FY26 refugee admissions goal.