Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026

Key Points

• The President signed a memo setting the maximum number of refugees allowed into the U.S. at 7,500 for the 2026 budget year. This is the total number of people fleeing war or persecution who can be resettled in the country during that time.
• The policy focuses on helping specific groups, primarily Afrikaners from South Africa and others who have faced unfair treatment or discrimination in their home countries.
• Every refugee must go through the strictest background checks and identity verification possible. This is meant to ensure that anyone entering the country does not pose a threat to national security or public safety.
• Most refugee entries are currently paused. For a refugee to be admitted, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security must both agree that the person's arrival is in the best interest of the United States.

Impact Analysis

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