SILVER SPRING, Md. – HIAS is deeply concerned by reports that the Trump Administration plans to slash refugee admissions to a historic low of 7,500 people in the Presidential Determination (PD), which is a statement of the planned refugee admissions and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. HIAS expresses alarm that the few potentially available slots for Fiscal Year 2026 may not be available for the vulnerable refugees who were already approved for resettlement, and instead may go to populations such as Afrikaners from South Africa. We are further troubled by reports that indicate that President Trump already signed the PD, without his administration consulting with Congress first, as is mandated by law.
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is a critical lifesaving program that offers a safe and legal pathway for people who have fled violence and persecution. It has enjoyed bipartisan support for over four decades, and generations of vulnerable people have found safety through the opportunity it provides.
“A refugee program of this nature would deliberately leave vulnerable people in danger all around the world, rendering it unrecognizable.” said Naomi Steinberg, HIAS Vice President of U.S. Policy and Advocacy. “It would be a betrayal of our proud and bipartisan legacy of welcoming refugees, a tradition that is also shared across faith communities across the country.”
Since January 20, the USRAP has been suspended and dismantled. More than 125,000 refugees who were already vetted and approved to come to the United States have been left stranded in precarious situations overseas. For months, HIAS and our partners have fought in the courts, in Congress, and in communities for the safety of those families and individuals, and for their ability to reach safety in our country.
The lived experience of the Jewish people underscores the critical importance of welcome and safety for refugees. As a people that has time and again fled persecution, the Jewish community deeply understand what it means when nations open their doors in welcome, and what it means when those doors are shut.
Together with our partners, HIAS continues to advocate for a country that welcomes the stranger – because that is who we are, and who we must remain.
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