August Recess Advocacy Guide 2025


August 12, 2025

Every couple of months, Members of Congress go on “recess,” returning to their home states and districts. Both members of the House of Representatives and the Senate use these periods to engage with constituents, hold town halls and public events, conduct in-district legislative meetings, and make themselves available to their constituents. Each August, members head out on the longest recess of the year. The 2025 August recess is scheduled for: July 25 – September 3 (House of Representatives) and August 3 – September 3 (Senate). 

This recess period is a vital moment to take action and ensure your voice is heard in support of refugees and immigrants in your community.

State of Play:

The Trump administration’s ongoing refugee ban and other actions targeting humanitarian entrants has had a devastating impact on refugees across the country and around the world. 

Stranded overseas: Over a hundred thousand refugees who have been conditionally approved for refugee status when Trump took office are now left waiting in limbo. More than 22,000 of these were considered “ready for departure” and had completed all necessary medical checks and security screenings. More than 12,000 of that group had flights booked to the U.S. – many of whom had begun to move and sell belongings in preparation for their resettlement. All remain stranded overseas in increasingly dangerous conditions due to the administration’s ongoing refugee ban. 

Targeted in their new homes: The passage of the administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is set to cut off refugees and other humanitarian entrants from food assistance (SNAP), Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. At the same time, many humanitarian arrivals have been swept up in an indiscriminate and draconian enforcement system. On July 17, an Afghan interpreter in Connecticut was detained by ICE at a routine immigration appointment. His detention is one of many examples of humanitarian arrivals who have been detained or deported. 

Who is being resettled? Currently, only a limited number of refugees are being resettled: a handful of white South Africans and a small group of people granted waivers by the Secretary of State. Progress in the Pacito case has allowed resettlement agencies to reopen services to refugees who have arrived (as well as Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders). As of July 21, a framework for reviewing and processing thousands of additional refugee cases has been delayed by the Ninth Circuit. 

Ways to Take Action:

  1. Schedule an in-district legislative visit
    • See tools for scheduling and organizing a legislative visit here and find a template outreach email below
  2. Attend a town hall or public event held by your member of Congress
    • Find sample questions below
  3. Call or email your member of Congress
  4. Hold a rally, vigil, or protest outside a congressional office 

How to Find Town Halls and Contact Your Members of Congress:

There is no public repository of congressional town halls or public events. However, you can find them by signing up for mailing lists, monitoring your elected officials’ social media, and checking the members’ websites and “event” pages. The best way to find out about the member’s schedule during the recess is likely to call their local office and ask for the member’s recess schedule. Here are some ways of finding contact information to make a call: 

House of Representatives

Senate

  • Google “Senator [NAME] Office Locations]” to find the locations (and contact information) of the local district offices of your Senator. Reach out to the office nearest you!

Sample Outreach Email:

Subject: Constituent Meeting Request – [City] District Office

Dear [Staff First Name],

My name is [name] and I am a [service provider/person of faith/refugee/community member] in [location]. I’m reaching out to inquire whether [Senator/Representative + last name] will be holding a town hall or any other public engagement during the upcoming August recess where it would be appropriate for constituents to attend, participate and communicate the impact of recent administrative actions to the [state/district].

In addition, I’d like to request an in-person meeting with [Senator/Representative last name] or [district office city] staff to discuss the impact of the Trump administration’s refugee ban and executive actions targeting newcomers on [state/district] and steps the [Representative/Senator] can take to support refugees and other newcomers in our community. 

Our group includes the following [refugee leaders, faith leaders, etc.] who are constituents of the [Senator/Representative]. Our group is available to meet [in City] on [dates] at [times].

  • [List names of potential attendees]

Our community welcomes refugees, and I urge your office to do as well. I look forward to your response. 

Warmly,

[Your name]

Sample Town Hall Questions:

Refugee Resettlement

  • The Refugee Act of 1980 requires the Trump administration to meaningfully consult with Congress before signing a Presidential Determination on refugee admissions for the coming fiscal year. How are you planning to engage in this process to ensure stranded refugees can resettle in the U.S. under this administration, including those from Afghanistan, Sudan, the DRC, and elsewhere?
  • The refugee resettlement program has a long history of strong bipartisan support and was enshrined into law by the 1980 Refugee Act, but was suspended indefinitely through Executive Order this January. Refugee resettlement makes our communities stronger, safer, and more prosperous, and over a 15 year period refugees contributed a staggering $124 billion more than they cost in government expenditures. What are you doing to help save the refugee program?
  • Refugees are among the most well-vetted travelers in the world. Our community has welcomed refugees through the refugee resettlement program for decades, and they have made our community stronger. But the current administration has shut the bipartisan refugee program down. Do you support an end to the refugee ban? Are you on the record calling for a resumption in refugee resettlement?
  • Over 200,000 Afghan wartime allies remain at risk overseas due to their support for the U.S. mission. What are you doing to make sure we continue to live up to our promises and support Afghan allies?
  • Businesses, faith communities, national security experts, and so many others have come out in support of refugee resettlement. What are you doing to uplift these voices – which include so many of your constituents?

Funding

  • The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, yet the Trump administration has failed to use congressionally-authorized funds for their stated purpose of protecting refugees and newcomers. The recent rescission of funding in July has hampered the administration’s ability to provide vital humanitarian assistance and comply with court orders to restore refugee resettlement. How do you plan to ensure congressionally authorized programs continue? What are you doing to ensure funding continues to organizations in our area providing integration support?

Children

  • The administration is targeting unaccompanied children for deportation and resumed immigrant detention of families with their children. Unaccompanied children are among the most vulnerable individuals in the entire immigration system. How are you taking action to make sure they are treated with care and dignity and not deported to danger?

Deportation and Detention

  • When I watch what is happening in Congress, all I hear about are tax cuts for wealthy Americans and billions of dollars being spent on border militarization and draconian immigration enforcement that targets neighbors who have lived here for years if not decades. What are you doing to push back against legislation that harms immigrants and our communities? 

Policy Asks: 

  • Urge the Trump administration to fully restore the refugee resettlement program and sign a Presidential Determination on refugee admissions for FY 2026 that is responsive to global need. Refugee resettlement brings huge social and economic benefits to our communities and makes our country stronger, safer, and more prosperous.  
  • Stand up for refugees and newcomers in upcoming congressional funding and legislative deliberations. Call for the renewal of contracts for unaccompanied children programs and legal support. Support funding for key spending accounts (such as the Migration and Refugee Assistance and Refugee and Entrant Assistance accounts) and include clear authorizing and appropriations language dictating how that funding should be used for processing and welcome services that best serve refugees, newcomers, and the communities that welcome them. 
  • Hold the administration accountable for upholding U.S. and international laws that protect people fleeing persecution and violence. Conduct oversight of immigration detention centers, visit refugee resettlement offices in your community, and speak out on ongoing violations of the Refugee Act of 1980 and Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). 
  • Cosponsor pro-immigrant and pro-refugee legislation. Bills like the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (H.R. 1061/S.455), the NO BAN Act (H.R. 294/S.398), and the Neighbors Not Enemies Act (H.R. 630/S. 193) protect immigrants and refugees. 

Additional Resources: