U.S. Bishops Respond to 2025 Presidential Determination on Refugee Resettlements

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Refugees receiving culturul orientation training at ICMC Resetttlement Support Center in Türkiye ahead of their departure for the United States. ©ICMC/Stefano Schirato

“The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) welcomed the Biden administration’s continued commitment to addressing the global refugee crisis with the signing of the Presidential Determination for Fiscal Year 2025, which maintains the refugee admissions ceiling at 125,000.” In his response, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, Chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, expressed deep gratitude for the U.S. Catholic community’s contributions to refugee support.

In his statement, Bishop Seitz emphasized Catholic organizations and parishes’ critical role in welcoming and supporting refugees, especially in light of this new determination. “My brother bishops and I could not be more grateful for the witness of faithful Catholics across our country who have, for many decades now, committed themselves to accompanying refugees as a visible sign of Christ’s love in the world,” he said.

“We appreciate the efforts undertaken by the Biden Administration in recent years to reassert and grow our nation’s proud tradition of welcoming refugees.” 

The Presidential Determination sets the maximum number of refugees the U.S. can admit in a fiscal year and is seen by policymakers as a target to achieve. For 2025, the admissions ceiling remains at 125,000, continuing the administration’s goals from the previous year. 

This reflects a renewed focus on addressing the global displacement crisis, following a period during the previous administration and the COVID-19 pandemic when refugee admissions were significantly reduced. In 2020, the ceiling dropped to just 15,000, the lowest since the Refugee Act was passed in 1980. From 1980 to 2017, the average Presidential Determination was 95,000.

Bishop Seitz acknowledged the vital services provided by Catholic organizations, which have been instrumental in helping those fleeing violence, persecution, and extreme poverty, as well as the contribution of migrants and refugees through “the economic renewal they offer receiving communities.”

The USCCB is the International Catholic Migration Commission’s national member in the United States. Through its Department of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), it is one of 10 resettlement agencies partnering with the federal government for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

ICMC has been instrumental in facilitating resettlement applications to the U.S. for refugees, primarily from Syria and Iraq, as well as from other regions, who have sought refuge in Turkey and Lebanon. Additionally, ICMC collaborates closely with the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) to support similar resettlement processes from European Union Member States and Switzerland.

For further details, you can read the full USCCB statement.

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