The latest: As of September 24, the Trump administration’s indefinite refugee ban continues to strand over 100,000 refugees who had been through years of vetting and screening and had been approved for resettlement when Trump took office. These refugees have fled some of the world’s largest displacement crises – war and famine in Sudan, the M23 conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, violence and oppression in Venezuela, and many others. All remain in limbo.
By next Wednesday, September 30, the Trump administration is required to set a new refugee admissions goal for Fiscal Year 2026 in the form of a formal Presidential Determination (PD). Reports suggest the administration is currently planning to announce a PD that continues to prioritize groups like Afrikaners and continues to exclude already-approved refugees from other countries.
While immediate relief has not been forthcoming in the Pacito v. Trump case following a recent ruling in the Ninth Circuit – the litigation challenging the refugee ban continues. An additional, more comprehensive ruling is still expected from the Ninth Circuit and the discovery process is underway at a lower court in Seattle. The District Court has ordered both parties to file a Joint Status Report by October 10, which could reveal more information about the current state of the refugee program (and the administration’s plans for the coming year).
Call on your elected leaders to stand with stranded refugees here, and find an advocacy guide to equip you to speak out ahead of the upcoming refugee admissions goal here.
Trump speaks at UN, calls for rewriting of international refugee protections. As the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opened in New York yesterday, President Trump accused the UN of contributing to “uncontrolled migration” and said, “the United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.” Behind the scenes, the United States is reportedly inviting government delegations at UNGA to a meeting tomorrow designed to increase support for rolling back global refugee protections.
On September 22, 268 faith-based, non-governmental, and other civil society organizations joined a letter calling on UN Member States to “uphold, preserve, strengthen, and celebrate international refugee, human rights, and humanitarian treaties and reject efforts to undo or undermine legal norms.”
Trump fires even more immigration judges. According to a September 23 NPR report, the administration has fired 20 more immigration judges this month, bringing the total number who have already been cut this year to over 100. The firings are at odds with any of the administration’s stated plans to effectively or efficiently adjudicate a mounting backlog in immigration courts. Trump is replacing the judges with those with limited or no experience in immigration law, eroding due process and likely facilitating increased deportations.