Last updated: Tuesday, October 7, 2025
This resource provides daily updates from the CWS policy team in your inbox on the latest policy changes; the morning’s headlines on key issues impacting refugees and immigrants; and updated tools to take action. Subscribe now to receive daily updates on the latest developments and ways to support impacted communities.
State of Play |
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The latest: With tens of thousands of refugees still stranded overseas, recent reporting indicates that the Trump administration plans to set a refugee admissions target of just 7,500 – a historic low – and prioritize the resettlement of a group of predominantly white South Africans ahead of and instead of refugees who were already approved for resettlement as the indefinite refugee ban took effect. No president of any party other than President Trump has ever set a refugee admissions goal, or “Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions” (PD) below 60,000. The Refugee Act of 1980 stipulates that the president must sign the annual PD for the coming fiscal year by September 30. Prior to signing the PD, Cabinet-level members of the administration are required to consult in person with Members of Congress. Before the consultations, the administration also must issue a report to Congress that outlines details such as the current state of global displacement, the total proposed number of refugees to be resettled and the allocation of admissions across regions, the plan for resettling refugees, and other information requested by members of Congress. The legislation notes that when possible, the report should be sent to Congress two weeks in advance of consultations. Though President Trump reportedly signed a presidential determination dated September 30, no such consultation has taken place yet and the administration has not yet delivered the required report to Congress. According to reports, the PD will not be finalized or implemented until the Congressional consultation occurs, which can only take place after the ongoing government shutdown ends. See CWS’s statement on recent reporting on the refugee admissions target and urge your elected officials to fully restore the refugee resettlement program for the most at-risk refugees around the world. Judge temporarily blocks policy to detain unaccompanied immigrant children once they turn 18. On Saturday, a federal judge ruled that for now, the Trump administration cannot transfer unaccompanied immigrant children into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody upon turning 18. On October 4, advocates filed an emergency motion to prevent ICE from detaining 18-year-olds after discovering that the agency had begun telling shelters for unaccompanied minors that children who were about to turn 18 would be transferred to detention facilities rather than released. Saturday’s ruling affirms a 2021 decision directing the federal government to release minors who turn 18 into the least restrictive available setting. “These kids came here seeking safety and hope,” said Marie Silver of the National Immigrant Justice Center in a statement. “Trapping them in dangerous and degrading conditions in immigration detention is compounding their trauma in a cruel and unnecessary way.” See CWS’s latest action alert in response to a separate ICE initiative that attempts to financially incentivize unaccompanied immigrant children to abandon their legal rights to seek safety and leave the United States.
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Today’s Headlines, Calls to Action and Community Resources |
Stories of Impact |
| Zenayda is a refugee who resettled in Texas who has been trying for years to get her child to safety after many kidnapping attempts. The child’s flight was booked to arrive in February. That flight has now been cancelled, and the child’s case – which is listed as “extremely vulnerable” – is now once again delayed
Doaa is a single mom with three children who have been forcibly displaced and are currently living as refugees in Cairo, Egypt. She was referred to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program because of her status as a refugee and because she has family already living in New Jersey. She and her children went through the lengthy vetting and screening process and finally had their travel booked to the U.S. – but her flight was among those cancelled by Trump’s indefinite refugee admissions ban. The children are 19, 15, and 13. The case file shows the family as: “Survivors of Violence and Torture.” The Sung family are refugees from Myanmar who were split up as they fled for safe harbor. Part of the family has been resettled in Texas, and they have been waiting for years as the rest of the family goes through the resettlement process. The flight was scheduled for early February, and the family here bought a four-bedroom home just to accommodate them. Their flight was cancelled at the last minute. Find stories of impact here, and watch this space for new stories as they arise. Have a story to share? Send it to us via this form. |
