The Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions — and What We Can Do to Help

As quoted in Matthew 5:35, Jesus said, “I was a stranger, and ye took me in.” Our faith and our love for all humankind demand that we do our part to take in the stranger (see Exodus 23:9).

The United Nations estimates that at this moment in history, more than 80 million people have been forced from their homes by threats to their lives. We must do our part to provide refuge for these families around the world (see Responsibilities). To appreciate the gravity of the current situation and have the strongest impact on the process, we must understand the background of refugee resettlement in our country. 

Each fall, the president is required to set the refugee admissions ceiling by October 1 for the following year; this is called a presidential determination. That determination sets the maximum number of refugees that can be admitted to the country — it cannot be exceeded, and no refugees can be admitted until it is issued (according to the Congressional Research Service, November 3, 2020).

Setting this number is similar to issuing an executive order, and the president may choose to provide a new presidential determination that is higher or lower than the previous number or that includes a different allocation for countries of origin. For example, on April 16, 2021, the Biden administration made a public statement to lift specific regional restrictions, allowing 7,000 admissions for refugees from vulnerable countries in Africa and Latin America who were previously barred.

What have been our nation’s previous presidential determination levels? In 1980, the ceiling was set at 231,700, and the country admitted more than 207,000 refugees. By comparison, last year the U.S. resettled 11,814 individuals, and then-President Trump set the 2021 goal at 15,000. The ceiling and actual admissions have fluctuated in response to world events and the priorities of the current administration. Yet while the number of displaced people increased over the last four years, the Trump administration was committed to decreasing the country’s level of refugee resettlement. This is in contrast to prior Republican presidents such as Reagan and both Bushes, who resettled numbers on par or higher than some Democratic presidents like Clinton. In the past, refugee resettlement has received bipartisan support.

In early May, President Biden announced a new presidential determination, raising the 2021 refugee admissions ceiling to 62,500. He made an accompanying statement explaining that because refugee resettlement offices across the country have been drastically reduced, the program is not capable of meeting that goal in its current state. In addition, the admissions process takes an average of two years to complete due to the rigorous vetting process. It will take time to process new applicants and rebuild the agencies needed to aid in the medical, biometric, background checking, interviews, and other investigative aspects of the process.

While some non-government resettlement agencies have expressed concern about meeting Biden’s higher ceiling, they are also strongly advocating for receiving as many refugees as they are able. In order to help provide for the anticipated refugee admissions increase, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated “substantial grants” to the resettlement agencies for rebuilding. The Biden administration, resettlement agencies, and many communities are optimistic about the future of the refugee resettlement program and the ability to receive an increased capacity.

Additionally, despite the low numbers of refugees who have recently been admitted, positive public sentiment toward admitting refugees has actually increased. The majority of Americans want to welcome refugees into their communities.

We can increase this feeling of welcome by staying informed about the current state of U.S. refugee admissions and the processes involved. We can share our stories of positive interactions with resettled refugees with our friends and family and with our communities, in particular by writing letters to the editor and op-eds in our local newspapers. We can change the way we talk about refugees by using language that expresses their worth as children of God and encourage those around us to improve as well. We can connect with our local resettlement agencies to welcome, succor, befriend, and learn from refugees once they arrive in our communities.

MWEG will continue to stand with other faith groups, advocacy organizations, and service-minded individuals as we do our part to show God’s love to our fellow siblings seeking refuge and friendship in our country.