Advocate for our Neighbors

Join us in advancing humane policies and programs for our community.  

Policy Changes Impacting Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and New Neighbors

Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, a series of executive orders, policy directives, and administrative actions have threatened the safety, stability, and legal protections of refugees, asylum seekers, Afghan allies, unaccompanied children, and immigrant families.

These actions have disrupted pathways to safety, undermined due process, and created uncertainty for individuals and families who have already endured persecution, displacement, and years of waiting for protection.

Among the administration's actions, from most recent to oldest:

• Pursued deportations of Afghan nationals to countries where they may face persecution and serious harm. A federal court temporarily blocked certain planned deportations in November 2026, highlighting the urgent need for lasting protections for Afghan allies and families. Read LSSNCA's Nov. 6, 2026, statement.
• Weakened due process protections for refugees, reducing the time available to respond to a notice of intent to terminate refugee status from 30 days to just 10 days, making it more difficult to secure legal counsel and defend their protection. Read LSSNCA's Oct. 15, 2026, statement.
• Restricted access to essential health care, implementing Medicaid eligibility changes that threaten coverage for refugees and other lawfully present immigrants, including individuals managing serious medical conditions. Read LSSNCA's Sept. 30, 2026, statement.
• Suspended visa issuance for Afghan nationals, including Afghan allies seeking protection through the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, and imposed additional immigration restrictions affecting Afghan families. Read LSSNCA's Dec. 1, 2025, statement.
• Ordered a review of nearly 250,000 refugee cases involving individuals resettled in the United States between Jan. 20, 2021, and Feb. 20, 2025, threatening to reopen cases and revoke protections already granted. Read LSSNCA's Nov. 25, 2025, statement.
• Suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program indefinitely, canceling refugee flights and leaving thousands of previously approved refugees without a pathway to safety. Read LSSNCA's Jan. 21, 2025, statement.

At Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), our faith calls us to welcome the stranger and uphold the God-given dignity of every person. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting those fleeing persecution, defending due process, and ensuring that refugees and immigrant families have the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.

Take Action: Defend the Right to Seek Safety

Join LSSNCA and our partners at Church World Service (CWS) and Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) in calling on elected officials to protect refugee and asylum pathways, uphold due process, honor our commitments to Afghan allies, and reject policies that undermine the safety and dignity of our immigrant neighbors.

• End unlawful third-country deportations: Urge Congress to stop dangerous third-country removals that put vulnerable individuals at risk of persecution and harm.
• End refugee green card application freezes and re-vetting: Tell Congress to end policies that reopen settled refugee cases and delay permanent residency.
• Reject collective punishment of refugees and asylum seekers: Contact your elected representatives and urge them to oppose policies that unfairly target entire communities based on nationality or immigration status.
• Protect Medicaid coverage for refugees and immigrants: Changes to Medicaid eligibility threaten access to essential health care for refugees and immigrants, including individuals living with serious medical conditions who rely on ongoing treatment. Tell Congress to reject further cuts to Medicaid and other human services programs 

Ensure Unaccompanied Children Have the Right to Seek Safety

Limited legal protections for unaccompanied children: The administration let the federal contract with the Acacia Center for Justice expire on July 31, 2026, ending a nationwide network of nearly 100 nonprofit legal providers. The decision leaves over 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children facing complex deportation proceedings without a clear transition or specialized legal representation. [1, 2] LSSNCA urges the administration to stop policies that restrict adequate notice, access to counsel, and opportunities to prepare for asylum interviews.  Read LSSNCA's Nov. 4, 2026, statement.

Take Action: Call on Congress to safeguard the safety and due process rights of immigrant children.
 

Support the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

Since taking office on Jan. 20, 2025, the Trump administration has taken a series of actions to dismantle the U.S. refugee resettlement system, severely restrict refugee admissions, and undermine decades of bipartisan commitment to protecting people fleeing persecution.

Through executive orders, funding cuts, refugee flight cancellations, and restrictions on admissions, the administration has effectively shut down traditional refugee resettlement pathways for thousands of vulnerable individuals and families. The suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) left thousands of refugees who had already undergone extensive security screening and received approval to travel stranded without a clear path to safety.

At the same time, the administration established a separate pathway prioritizing white South African Afrikaners for refugee admission, while refugees fleeing war, persecution, and violence in other parts of the world continued to face severe restrictions.

For fiscal year 2027, the administration set the refugee admissions ceiling at just 17,500, prioritizing Afrikaners from South Africa over other vulnerable populations. This represents a dramatic departure from the longstanding humanitarian principles of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which is intended to protect individuals facing persecution regardless of nationality, race, or background.

Read LSSNCA's Sept. 24, 2026, statement on refugee admissions.

The administration has also pursued efforts to reopen and review the cases of nearly 250,000 refugees who were lawfully resettled in the United States between January 2021 and February 2025, threatening the stability of families who have already rebuilt their lives in our communities.

Read LSSNCA's statement opposing the reopening of refugee cases.

These actions undermine America's humanitarian commitments, weaken the infrastructure that makes refugee resettlement possible, and create uncertainty for families seeking safety and stability.

Take Action: Protect Refugee Resettlement and Restore America's Commitment to Welcome

Protect refugee admissions: Call on Congress to prioritize refugees most at risk under the FY2027 Presidential Determination and demand the restoration of a fair, equitable, and functioning refugee admissions program.

Call Your Members of Congress Today

Urge your elected officials to speak out against the suspension of refugee resettlement, oppose discriminatory admissions priorities, restore funding for refugee services, and protect refugees who have already been welcomed into our communities.

Instructions:

1. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
2. Ask to be connected to your U.S. senator's or representative's office.
3. Use the call script below to share your concerns.
4. Call again to reach both of your senators and your House representative.

Call Script

"Hello, my name is [insert name], and I live in [city/town]. As your constituent, I urge you to take action to restore the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and protect our nation's longstanding commitment to welcoming people fleeing persecution.

Since January 2025, the administration has suspended refugee resettlement, canceled flights for approved refugees, and severely restricted admissions. For fiscal year 2027, the refugee admissions ceiling has been set at just 17,500, with priority given to white South African Afrikaners while thousands of vulnerable refugees from other countries remain without a pathway to safety.

Refugee protection should be based on humanitarian need, not race or nationality.

I urge you to call for the full restoration of refugee admissions, equitable access to resettlement, adequate funding for refugee support services, and an end to efforts to revoke protections from refugees who have already been lawfully admitted.

For decades, refugee resettlement has enjoyed bipartisan support. Refugees are our neighbors, colleagues, small-business owners, taxpayers, and community leaders. They contribute to the economic, social, and cultural strength of our nation.

[Optional: Share a personal story or explain why refugee protection matters to you.]

Thank you for your time and for supporting refugees and the communities that welcome them."

Common Sense Legislation LSSNCA Supports

Guaranteed Refugee Admission Ceiling Enhancement (GRACE) Act

Introduced on December 18, 2025, by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) to ensure a U.S. President cannot set a Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions—the annual refugee admissions goal—below 125,000 refugees.

H.R. 4995: Enduring Welcome Act of 2025

Introduced on August 19, 2025, by Reps. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and Michael McCaul (R-TX-10) to reinforce the statutory mandate for Afghan relocations by codifying the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) and the responsibilities of the Coordinator and establishing a database of cases in the Afghan relocation pipeline. Read full bill text.

H.R. 670: Lady Liberty Act of 2025

Introduced on January 23, 2025, by Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA-11) to set a floor of 125,000 for the maximum number of refugees who may be admitted into the United States each fiscal year beginning in FY2027. Under current law, the President sets the annual cap on refugee admissions at the beginning of each fiscal year. Read full bill text.

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