The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has expressed concern over the future of the country's refugee resettlement program following the Administration's recent decision to set the annual cap for refugee admissions at 7,500 for Fiscal Year 2026. This is the lowest number allowed since Congress established the program in 1980.

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, who chairs the USCCB Committee on Migration, responded to the announcement: “With the Administration signaling a severely limited continuation of this historically bipartisan program, we urge due consideration for all those who have long awaited their opportunity for relief.”

At the beginning of this year, more than 100,000 individuals had completed thorough screening by U.S. authorities and were conditionally approved for entry as refugees. Many included children and people seeking to reunite with family members. However, President Trump signed an executive order on his first day of his second term that indefinitely suspended refugee resettlement in most cases. Only a small number have been permitted entry under exceptions to this order, which has focused primarily on Afrikaners from South Africa under Executive Order 14204.

In his full statement, Bishop Seitz said: “For over 45 years, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has been, and continues to be, a safe and secure legal pathway for people from around the world who meet the requirements for humanitarian protection. It is a vital mechanism through which our nation can exist as a beacon of hope for those facing persecution and promote respect for the sanctity of human life. What President Reagan said in 1981 about refugee policy being ‘an important part of our past and fundamental to our national interest’ very much rings true today. With the Administration signaling a severely limited continuation of this historically bipartisan program, we urge due consideration for all those who have long awaited their opportunity for relief. We also pray for the broad, indefinite suspension of refugee admissions to be lifted, and we implore the President to make the program available to those truly in need.”

The new ceiling comes at a time when many individuals seeking refuge face extended delays despite having met security requirements.