Latest changes to refugee admissions and the Welcome Corps

Last Updated: December 17, 2025

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Background

USRAP is a government initiative, authorized by Congress in 1980, that provides a legal pathway for refugees to resettle in the United States. Through this program, refugees are granted the opportunity to become permanent residents and, ultimately, citizens of the United States.

The Welcome Corps, launched in 2023 by the U.S. State Department, allowed Americans and permanent residents to directly sponsor refugees for resettlement. Individuals and communities played an active role in welcoming and supporting refugees rebuilding their lives in the United States. Sponsors, in groups of at least five, helped refugees with housing, transportation, schooling, and finding jobs during their first months in the U.S. This approach to refugee resettlement encouraged community involvement and provided refugees with vital support as they integrated into American society.

Refugees sponsored through USRAP and the Welcome Corps were vetted by multiple U.S. security agencies and, if approved, were granted permission to enter, live, and work in the United States legally. Refugees who were resettled in the U.S. are able to stay permanently and have a pathway to citizenship after five years.

Below is a summary of what recent policy changes mean for the program and the people it served. Visit our Policy Updates page for expert guidance, FAQs, and other resources, and subscribe to receive emails with the latest updates.

Key changes

November-December 2025

1. On Dec. 16, President Trump issued a proclamation expanding the 19 countries included in his original travel ban from June. The latest proclamation expands the full travel ban to five additional countries and people with Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents, and includes partial restrictions on 15 countries. The new proclamation takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Countries with full restrictions and entry limitations: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen, as well as people with travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
Countries with partial restrictions and entry limitations: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

2. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it will re-review previously approved cases of refugees admitted between January 2021 and February 2025. USCIS has directed its staff to submit a list of cases it wishes to prioritize for “review and potential re-interview” within 90 days (i.e., by March 15, 2026), implying that not all cases will be reopened. The review applies to all refugees admitted during the five-year period, which is approximately 200,000 people.

3. USCIS issued a memo on Dec. 2, 2025 that immediately pauses processing immigration applications for individuals from certain countries.

What it means: USCIS is not moving forward with green card processing and other applications) for individuals, including refugees, who are nationals OR were born in one of the 19 countries included in the travel ban issued by the government in June 2025.
For refugees, this pause impacts: Applications to adjust status to a green card; applications for naturalization; certain travel or work authorization documents; replacement green card or related immigration benefits.

4. On Dec. 4, USCIS announced it is reducing Employment Authorization Documents for some newcomers from five years to 18 months to more frequently vet individuals applying for work authorization. This change does not apply to existing work permits. Effective Dec. 5, 2025, applications for work permits will be limited to 18 months for:

Newcomers with refugee status
Asylees, newcomers with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal
Newcomers granted withholding of deportation or removal
Newcomers with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245
Newcomers with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.

October 2025

On Oct. 31, 2025, President Trump released the presidential determination on refugee admissions, allowing the United States to admit up to 7,500 refugees for the fiscal year 2026 (Oct. 1 2025–Sept. 30, 2026). Each fall, the president determines how many refugees the United States will aim to welcome through USRAP in the coming year. The cap of 7,500 is a historic low in the program’s 45-year history.
While President Trump's determination does not provide details on refugee processing for those already in the USRAP pipeline, it prioritizes admitting Afrikaners from South Africa, “and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.” The determination also reinforces the executive order that suspended USRAP, with the exception of the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security jointly determining that an admission is in the national interest and does not threaten the security or welfare of the United States.

February 2025

On Feb. 26, 2025, the Welcome Corps program was terminated.
In Feb. 2025, a lawsuit, Pacito v. Trump, was filed against the U.S. government’s decision to pause USRAP and cut off funds for refugee resettlement. We are tracking this lawsuit closely and will provide updates as it affects the future of refugee resettlement and the Welcome Corps program.

January 2025

As of Jan. 22, 2025, all refugee processing by the departments of State and Homeland Security has been paused until further notice.
All previously scheduled travel of refugees to the United States—including through the Welcome Corps—has been canceled, and no new travel will be scheduled.
Intake of new applications for the Welcome Corps is suspended, as well as processing of all active or previously submitted applications.
USRAP will not be accepting any new referrals of refugees into the program.
Exemptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis as determined jointly by the secretaries of State and Homeland Security.
If you have questions about a pending Welcome Corps case, please see our guide for contacting your congressional representatives for information on how to contact your representatives with concerns about a specific case or about sponsorship programs more generally.

Note: Refugees who have already arrived in the U.S. through USRAP and the Welcome Corps are not affected by this policy announcement and retain their legal status.

FAQ

How does the presidential determination on the refugee cap impact refugees arriving through USRAP?

Each fall, the president determines how many refugees the United States will aim to welcome through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) in the coming year. The cap of 7,500 is a historic low in the program’s 40 year history.

While President Trump's determination does not provide details on refugee processing for those already in the USRAP pipeline, it said most of the refugees admitted will be Afrikaners from South Africa, “and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.”

The cap of 7,500 and prioritization of certain populations will delay thousands of families from reaching safety in the U.S.

I have an application in process. What happens next?

Refugee cases that have already been referred into USRAP through a certified Welcome Corps application currently remain in the pipeline, though their processing is on hold and no flights are being scheduled for refugee arrivals.

What does it mean to have a certified Welcome Corps application?

A certified application means information about the refugee(s) you applied to sponsor was referred to USRAP, and the refugee(s) named on your application has a case with the U.S. government.

If your Welcome Corps application was certified, an email was sent to your group coordinator at the time of certification.

If your Welcome Corps application was not certified, the refugee(s) named on your application do not have a USRAP or SIV number. This means they have not been referred to the U.S. government for private sponsorship and therefore do not have a case with the U.S. government.

How can I tell if the refugee(s) named in my Welcome Corps case were referred to USRAP?

The refugee(s) named in your Welcome Corps case were referred into USRAP if:

Your group coordinator received an email from [email protected] stating that the refugee(s) named in your application were referred to USRAP.
The refugee(s) named in your application have received a USRAP number. A USRAP case number consists of two letters followed by a 6-digit number, for example, JO-123456.

How does the pending lawsuit related to USRAP affect refugee processing and the Welcome Corps?

We are closely tracking the lawsuit, Pacito v. Trump, which challenged the U.S. government’s suspension of USRAP. We will provide more information once a final order is made. For more up-to-date information, you can follow the case here.

Are Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders still able to arrive in the U.S.?

The U.S. Department of State has halted all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance for Afghan passport holders, instructing consular officers not to issue visas, including those already printed, effective Nov. 28, 2025. This pause applies to visas across the board, including Special Immigrant Visas (SIV). Afghan SIV holders who already have valid visas and travel documents in hand should still be able to travel to the United States.

In addition, as mentioned above, Afghans are affected by the broader pause on immigration application processing and asylum application decisions. Afghans are also subject to re-review if they arrived in the United States or had an immigration application approved by USCIS on or after Jan. 20, 2021.

How can I share my support for sponsorship programs or get help with my case?

You can:

Contact your congressional representatives to express support for refugee sponsorship programs or get help with your application.
Use our guide for contacting your federal representatives for detailed instructions.