Human Rights First Urges U.S. to Protect Refugees Facing Persecution, Reject Politicization of Resettlement

Washington, D.C. — In response to reports that the Trump administration is considering capping refugee resettlement at  40,000 refugees or less for fiscal year 2026, with a majority of spots given to white South Afrikaners, Human Rights First called on the administration to use refugee resettlement to bring to safety Afghan, Nicaraguan, Sudanese and other refugees facing grave risks who qualify under the law as refugees.    

“The United States must not turn a blind eye to refugees who have suffered political, religious and other persecution,” said Eleanor Acer, Senior Director for Global Humanitarian Protection at Human Rights First. “The freeze on refugee admissions and the misuse of refugee resettlement for white Afrikaner migration have left thousands stranded in danger—facing violence, family separation, and prolonged uncertainty. Afghan refugees left stranded in Pakistan and other places face escalating risks of return to Taliban persecution. Refugee resettlement is not only a lifeline—it is essential to U.S. national interests, easing pressures on frontline host countries, and promoting stability. The Trump administration should honor U.S. commitments and save lives by prioritizing resettlement of refugees who face real dangers of persecution, including those in the U.S. resettlement pipeline who have been left stranded at risk for many months now.  The last thing the administration should do is play politics with a program that is needed to save the lives of people who worked with and trusted the United States.” 

Human Rights First urges the United States to relaunch a strong resettlement initiative for refugee populations including:   

• Afghan refugees in danger of Taliban persecution including family members of U.S. servicemembers, refugees with ties to the U.S. military or mission, journalists, women and girls, refugees at risk of religious persecution, and human rights advocates.
• Nicaraguans targeted due to their political dissent or religious views, often unsafe even after escaping to countries nearby. 
• LGBTQI+ refugees who fled their country yet remain trapped facing persecution, violence and other harms due to their sexual or gender identity in the country to which they fled.
• Refugees who fled political, religious and other persecution in Sudan, South Sudan, China, Venezuela, and other places.
• The approximately 120,000 refugees already conditionally approved for U.S. resettlement, as well as many others who had been referred to the U.S. program. 

“The abysmally low levels of refugee resettlement reportedly under consideration would leave U.S. allies and other refugees in the U.S. resettlement pipeline stranded and at risk for even longer,” added Acer. “The administration should provide a stronger resettlement goal that will save lives, fulfill U.S. commitments and demonstrate that the U.S. honors its promises to people who placed their trust in us.”    

The United States should set this year’s resettlement goal at least commensurate with the fiscal year 2025 goal of 125,000 refugees in order to fulfill its commitment to refugees stranded in the U.S. pipeline and better respond to the very real needs. In the wake of the Trump administration’s executive order freezing U.S. refugee resettlement, more than 120,000 people who had been conditionally approved for resettlement were stranded overseas in dangerous conditions, and an even larger number of refugees had been referred to the United States resettlement program for consideration. Globally, over 2.5 million refugees around the world are in need of resettlement according to UNHCR’s June 2025 assessment, and the majority of the world’s refugees are hosted by countries neighboring crises.