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Congress·In Committee·2 months ago

House Democrats' GRACE Act Would Set 125,000 Minimum for Annual Refugee Admissions

Also known as: GRACE Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(1)
Federal Employee
Neutral
Positive Impacts(1)
Immigrant
Helps

Key Points

  • Would require the President to set a yearly refugee admissions number, with a floor of 125,000 refugees (not counting any extra admitted through private/community sponsors).
  • If the President does not set a yearly number before the fiscal year starts, the bill automatically sets the refugee admissions level at 125,000 for that year.
  • Adds a separate pathway for refugees to come through community or private sponsors who provide initial help like housing setup and other early resettlement support.
  • Requires quarterly public reports showing how many refugees were admitted so far, progress toward the yearly goal, and admissions by world region.
  • If admissions fall behind pace (under 25% of the yearly goal after a quarter), the President must explain why and submit a plan to catch up, including steps to speed processing.
ImmigrationNational SecurityForeign Policy

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Dec 18, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Dec 18, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Before the start of the next fiscal year after the bill becomes law

President sets a yearly refugee admissions number with a floor of 125,000, plus a separate number for community/private sponsorship.

Refugee admissions become less likely to fall below 125,000 in a year, and communities may have a clearer target for how many people they can help sponsor.

At the start of any fiscal year where no determination is issued in advance

If no yearly determination is made on time, the default admissions number becomes 125,000 for that fiscal year.

Refugee admissions would not stall just because a yearly decision is delayed; the system has a built-in minimum.

About 15 days after the end of the first full quarter after the bill takes effect

Quarterly public reports start posting the number of refugees admitted and progress toward the yearly goal.

The public, Congress, and resettlement partners can track whether admissions are on pace or falling behind, quarter by quarter.

About 15 days after the end of the first full quarter after the bill takes effect

Quarterly processing reports start covering interview capacity, security-check status, and average processing times.

Delays (like long waits between being identified as a refugee and getting interviewed) become more visible, which can pressure agencies to add staff or change procedures.

Triggered after any quarter with admissions below 25% of the authorized yearly number

If quarterly admissions fall below 25% of the annual target, a catch-up plan with monthly projections is submitted.

People waiting overseas and U.S. sponsors may get a clearer timeline for whether admissions will speed up later in the year to hit the goal.

Related News

3 articles
WHYY·over 6 years ago

Philadelphia officials urge support for refugees amid reports of impending 'ban'

Philadelphia officials and resettlement organizations urged support for the GRACE Act, which would set a permanent goal for refugees welcomed to the U.S. each year. The bill aims to curb the executive branch's sweeping power to set the annual refugee ceiling.

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Richmond Free Press·over 4 years ago

Rep. Ilhan Omar, others encourage U.S. to rebuild refugee resettlement

Rep. Ilhan Omar voiced support for the GRACE Act, which would set a minimum number of refugees the United States must resettle every year, as part of a broader effort to rebuild the resettlement infrastructure devastated by previous policy cuts.

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St. Louis Jewish Light·over 6 years ago

Mandy Patinkin puts his heart into his work

Actor Mandy Patinkin is urging Americans to support the GRACE Act, legislation introduced to set an annual refugee admission floor and ensure the U.S. remains a safe haven for those fleeing war and persecution.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

GRACE Act

Bill NumberHR 6870
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(12)
D: 12

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.