The fight for refugee rights reaches a pivotal moment

President Trump has until October 1 to decide how many refugees to admit to the US over the next 12 months, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Right now, more people around the world are displaced from their homes than ever before. Families from Syria to South Sudan are fleeing for their lives and desperate to find refuge.

Despite this tremendous need, according to news reports, the Trump Administration is planning to admit less than 50,000 refugees next year, which would be the lowest number since at least 1980. This move would leave thousands of vulnerable refugees trapped in limbo and unsure of their fates.

To make matters worse, the Supreme Court decided on Tuesday night to allow parts of President Trump’s refugee ban to go into effect until it can consider the larger travel ban case next month.

It is estimated that this ruling could block 24,000 refugees from being resettled in the US - setting back refugees who have already gone through years of vetting, and simply wish to send their kids to school and work to make a decent living.

We are in an unprecedented time right now, when all three branches of our government are making critical decisions that will impact the lives of millions of refugees. In addition to President Trump’s refugee admission decision due on October 1 and the Supreme Court case on the travel ban on October 10, Congress is also considering gutting critical programs that support refugees here in the US and around the world.

Since 1975, Americans in all 50 states have welcomed more than three million refugees from around the world to our communities. They are an integral part of our society - they have made homes, started businesses, and educated their children, building strong foundations for the next generation.