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RefugePoint Deeply Concerned About Executive Order to Suspend the US Resettlement Program 

 

RefugePoint is deeply concerned about the Executive Order signed on January 20, 2025, by President Trump, which will suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) indefinitely, for at least 90 days. The suspension, which will begin on January 27, 2025, halts the resettlement of tens of thousands of refugees who are seeking safety in the United States, leaving their futures uncertain and their lives at risk. 

Through the USRAP, refugees are carefully selected and vetted by the U.S. government. Refugees who arrive through the program receive support from U.S. government partners to secure housing and meet other needs as they settle into their new communities. Historically, the USRAP has been supported by Republican and Democratic administrations alike, with arrivals averaging 100,000 refugees per year. During the Biden administration, 222,829 refugees arrived through the USRAP. Under the previous Trump administration, around 87,000 refugees arrived, although steps were taken to reduce and dismantle the program by lowering the refugee admissions ceiling to 15,000 in its final year. These reductions led to significant disruptions in resettlement processes and jeopardized the lives of tens of thousands of refugees seeking safety through legal immigration channels.

“Resettlement is a distinct immigration pathway for refugees who often have no other options for survival. Suspending the USRAP, even temporarily, is a life-threatening decision for refugees who may have no other viable path to safety. These include children who need to reunite with their parents and others at-risk,” shared Sasha Chanoff, CEO of RefugePoint. “Through their grit, resilience, ingenuity, and entrepreneurship, refugees rebuild their lives and contribute to their new communities. RefugePoint will continue to expand access to legal immigration opportunities for refugees through pathways like family reunification and labor mobility in collaboration with governments around the world. Equally important, we will continue to promote self-reliance opportunities for refugees so they can build productive lives in the countries to which they have fled and don’t have to risk their lives on dangerous onward journeys,” Chanoff added. 

Since 2005, RefugePoint has partnered with the U.S. government—under both Republican and Democratic administrations—to resettle refugees, helping to fulfill our mission to find lasting solutions for at-risk individuals and families. Refugees are incredible contributors to the communities where they resettle. A 2024 federal study underscored this, revealing that between 2005 and 2019, refugees and asylees in the U.S. generated a net positive fiscal impact of $123.8 billion. This data affirms what we’ve long known: welcoming refugees strengthens America economically and socially.

At RefugePoint, we remain steadfast in our commitment to refugees and will continue advocating for policies that protect and uplift them. RefugePoint will continue to play a leadership role in helping refugees to access lasting solutions in the following ways:  

  • We will help refugees access resettlement to dozens of countries worldwide, including Canada, Australia, European Union Member States, and others.
  • We will help refugees reunite with their families in the U.S. and around the world.
  • We will help refugees access labor mobility, an immigration pathway through which refugees use their skills and experience to obtain jobs that allow them to relocate. We have supported hundreds of people in accessing this pathway to safety in Canada and will continue this critical work. 
  • We will support refugees in becoming self-reliant. We help stabilize refugees in the countries to which they have fled so they can meet their essential needs and become self-reliant in their host communities. As the number of forcibly displaced people continues to grow while international aid is reduced, helping refugees achieve self-reliance is more important than ever. 

We will continue to work tirelessly toward our vision of creating an inclusive world where all refugees can safely build stable, connected, and thriving lives.