Overview

• The presidential determination signed on Sept. 30 would drop the annual ceiling to 7,500 for fiscal 2026, far below last year’s 125,000 and beneath the previous low of 15,000.
• A White House official says the government shutdown is blocking the legally required consultation with Congress and that no refugees will be admitted until funding is restored.
• Democratic judiciary leaders say the administration missed the Sept. 30 deadline to consult with Congress, leaving lawmakers without the required briefing.
• Refugee admissions have been largely frozen since January except for a carveout prioritizing white South Africans, with 59 arriving in May and 138 by early September.
• About 130,000 conditionally approved refugees and 14,000 Iranian religious minorities remain stranded, while South Africa disputes claims that Afrikaners face systemic racial persecution.