Baltimore, MD — The Trump administration is reportedly setting a refugee admissions ceiling of only 7,500 people for Fiscal Year 2026, with most slots reserved for Afrikaners from South Africa. Global Refuge, a leading national refugee resettlement nonprofit, expressed alarm around the sharp drop from the annual cap of 125,000 in Fiscal Year 2025 as global displacement continues to reach historic highs.
“The U.S. refugee admissions program is one of the few remaining expressions of America’s humanitarian leadership on the world stage,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President & CEO of Global Refuge. “To drastically lower the admissions cap and concentrate the majority of available slots on one group would mark a profound departure from decades of bipartisan refugee policy rooted in law, fairness, and global responsibility.”
Global Refuge is deeply concerned that such prioritization of a sole demographic group could jeopardize the credibility of the refugee program, as well as its ability to respond to global need with fairness and consistency. We reaffirm that the strength of the program lies in its commitment to protecting all who face persecution, with equal dignity afforded to individuals and families, regardless of race, nationality, religion, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
“We’re hearing from Afghan women’s rights activists, Venezuelan political dissidents, Congolese families, persecuted Christians, and other religious minorities, all of whom now fear there is no room left for them in a system they trusted,” Vignarajah added. “What refugee families need most is a pathway to protection that is consistent, principled, and grounded in the promise that every life matters equally – not just the few who fit a favored profile.”
The proposed FY 2026 refugee ceiling reflects a continued shift away from previous levels of U.S. humanitarian engagement. An indefinite suspension of refugee admissions ordered by the new administration on January 20, 2025 remains largely in effect, leaving thousands of refugees who had already undergone rigorous security vetting by the U.S. government stranded abroad. Many had sold their belongings, vacated housing, and quit jobs in anticipation of travel just days or weeks away that was abruptly halted.
For the select few refugees who have been able to arrive, resettlement support has been significantly curtailed. In recent months, the administration has reduced core benefits like initial financial assistance and healthcare coverage from 12 months to four months, undermining the ability of families to gain stable footing. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is poised to add further strain by stripping lawfully present refugees from eligibility for Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and SNAP – dismantling critical safety nets and making it more difficult for families to achieve self-sufficiency.
“The refugee program is a lifeline, but without basic supports like food assistance and healthcare access, that lifeline frays,” said Vignarajah. “Refugees are ready to contribute from day one, but they can’t be expected to thrive on empty stomachs and empty promises. Eliminating this critical assistance for legally admitted refugee families isn’t fiscal responsibility; it’s a moral failure unbecoming of the most abundant nation in the world.”
Global Refuge, alongside our resettlement partners, faith groups, local communities, and ordinary Americans, stands ready and able to embrace refugee families as neighbors and friends, as we have since our founding in 1939. Despite shifting policy, the spirit of welcome continues to endure in church basements, community centers, schools, and living rooms across the country.
“Who we welcome says everything about who we are as a nation,” concluded Vignarajah. “Time and again, the American story has been renewed by those who seek shelter here and give back tenfold. That promise is still within reach, but only if political leaders choose courage over fear and inclusion over isolationism.”
