Ask Congress to defend investments in refugee resettlement while urging the administration to restart fair, unbiased refugee admissions.
The Trump administration announced the lowest refugee admissions ceiling in U.S. history – just 7,500 people for Fiscal Year 2026 – while reserving most of those slots for Afrikaners from South Africa.
“Welcoming refugees is a true expression of our faith, and also a continuation of an American tradition of providing a home to those facing persecution because of who they are or what they believe,” Rev. Amy Reumann, senior director of ELCA Witness in Society, said in a press release: “We call for a refugee admissions process that does not discriminate based on race, religion, or nationality, but that welcomes all based on need. Each of these people, we know, is a beloved child of God; each of them bears the image of God.”
Since January 20, the Trump administration has resettled only a few hundred refugees, stranding over 100,000 conditionally approved and vetted refugees, some of whom have been waiting for years for resettlement. At the same time, the administration has slashed funding for refugee processing, admissions, and resettlement.
Ask Congress to reaffirm America’s longstanding commitment to protecting people fleeing persecution through a refugee program that prioritizes the most vulnerable. Urge your member of Congress to demand consultation on refugee resettlement numbers, as is legally required, and to defend federal investments in refugee processing, admissions and resettlement services.
Customize this message with your faith convictions and connections to refugee resettlement in your community.
[Posted: 9/18/2025, updated 10/31/2025]
