Refugee admissions program suspended; ceiling cut to record-low 7,500
Enacted8/10
Federal · Executive Order 14163; Presidential Determination No. 2025-13 · Jan 20, 2025
Impact 8/10
Executive Order 14163 suspended the US Refugee Admissions Program effective January 27, 2025. The administration set the fiscal 2026 admissions ceiling at 7,500, the lowest in the program's history, down from 125,000 under the prior administration. In May 2026 an emergency presidential determination added 10,000 slots reserved exclusively for Afrikaners from South Africa, raising the ceiling to 17,500, while admissions of most other refugees remain largely halted except as required by court orders.
ImmigrationSafety net & benefitsImmigrants
Sources
✓ Verified against primary sources 2026-08-16