Bending the Arc references a quote by Rev. Dr. King who said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” This digital newsletter from the CSA Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation office showcases the work of changemakers, opportunities to learn, and opportunities for you to help “bend the arc” toward justice. Full contents of the newsletter are published on this page.
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Historic Low Refugee Admissions
October 24, 2025
Under the second Trump administration, the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has been indefinitely suspended since January 2025.
Reports from the Washington Post and the New York Times confirm confirm the Trump administration’s plan to undermine the USRAP and set its Presidential Determination on refugee admissions to a historic low of 7,500 admissions for fiscal 2026 - with 7,000 of those slots reserved for white South Africans. No president other than Trump, regardless of party, has ever set a refugee admissions goal below 60,000.
This comes as more than 100,000 refugees (including more than 40,000 fleeing violence and persecution elsewhere in Africa) who were conditionally approved for resettlement when Trump took office remain stranded and excluded from the administration’s plans. Read their stories here.
This proposal represents could mean the destruction of a refugee program that has been a beacon of hope and humanitarian leadership for decades.
Source: CWS (Church World Services) https://cwsglobal.org/blog/daily-state-of-play-trumps-indefinite-refugee-ban-and-funding-halt/
You are encouraged to TAKE ACTION by urging your Members of Congress to call on President Trump to restore the refugee admissions program for the most at-risk refugees around the world and protect already-approved refugees stranded by the ongoing ban.
The Capitol Switchboard can be reached at 202-224-3121
Sample Script
My name is _______________, and I am a constituent from [City/Town]. I urge you to stand with refugees amid reports the administration is planning to overhaul the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program including a drastic reduction in the annual admissions with most slots reserved almost exclusively for white South Africans. This is a moral failure. It would undermine the integrity of our refugee program and break our promise to many refugees already approved for U.S. resettlement.
Also, the administration is preparing to set a refugee ceiling of 7,500 for FY 2026, which would be by far the lowest number in the history of the program. No president other than Trump, regardless of party, has ever set a refugee admissions goal below 60,000.
Should it go forward, the move would effectively close the door to tens of thousands of already-approved refugees who have been waiting for years in the pipeline.
I urge you to use your voice and oversight capacity to call on the administration to fully restore the refugee resettlement program for the most at-risk refugees around the world. Thank you
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Trafficking & Migration