A Founding Principle of Our Country: May 28, 2026

“Offering Refuge to the Vulnerable and Persecuted Is a Founding Principle of Our Country,” Says Bishop Cahill. “We appreciate the Administration’s acknowledgement that our country can continue to resettle refugees, and we renew our call for resettlement to be extended further to others in need, including those persecuted on the basis of their faith, the likes of whom have no access to refuge in our country at this time.”

A Founding Principle

WASHINGTON – On May 27, an Emergency Presidential Determination (PD) on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 was published in the Federal Register, based on the President’s finding of “an unforeseen emergency refugee situation.” This new rule will allow 10,000 individuals, exclusively Afrikaners from South Africa, to be admitted to the United States as refugees. 

Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, issued the following statement:  

“Offering refuge to the world’s vulnerable and persecuted is a founding principle of our country and it is uniquely what makes this country great. For decades, the United States was known for offering this opportunity, not favoring one particular group, but granting relief in accordance with our laws, our shared values, and the national interest. Today, however, that is sadly not the case. We appreciate the Administration’s acknowledgement that our country can continue to resettle refugees, and we renew our call for resettlement to be extended further to others in need, including those persecuted on the basis of their faith, the likes of whom have no access to refuge in our country at this time.” 

Last October, Bishop Cahill’s predecessor also addressed the disparate treatment of refugees taking place. In January 2025, the president placed an indefinite suspension to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and set the PD for FY 2026 at 7,500 refugees. Virtually all the refugees resettled were Afrikaners granted individualized exceptions to the suspension. At the time the refugee admissions program was suspended, over 100,000 people from a range of countries had been conditionally approved for refugee status in the United States and were awaiting resettlement through the program, some after being in the process for several years.

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