Ranking Member Shaheen, Representative Lieu Introduce World Refugee Day Resolution

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA-36) introduced the World Refugee Day Resolution to reaffirm the United States' commitment to support the well-being and safety of refugees and forcibly displaced people as they flee persecution and conflict around the world. The resolution was cosponsored by 27 Senators and 34 Representatives.

June 20 is designated by the United Nations as World Refugee Day to celebrate the courage and strength of refugees around the world. The United States has a long and proud history of supporting refugees fleeing conflict from across the world. Since its establishment in 1980, the United States Refugee Admissions Program has been a pillar of global humanitarian efforts and advanced the national interests of the United States.

The resolution:

• Reaffirms U.S. commitment to promote the safety, health and well-being of millions of refugees and forcibly displaced people worldwide

• Calls on President Trump to lift the indefinite suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, including to support the resettlement of Afghan allies and family members of DOD personnel who remain indefinitely stranded at the Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar

• Denounces the Trump administration's prioritization of Afrikaners for U.S. resettlement as politically motivated and unjust

• Urges the Trump Administration to increase efforts to respond to displacement crises with humanitarian and development assistance

"America's commitment to helping the world's most vulnerable has long been a source of national pride and economic strength," said Ranking Member Shaheen. "Yet the Trump Administration has abandoned that legacy, turning its back on those who need our help the most. This World Refugee Day, we honor the spirit and contributions of refugees around the world, reaffirm our commitment to their protection and call on the Trump Administration to reverse course."

"Refugee resettlement and targeted foreign aid are strategic investments that foster goodwill and strengthen our national security. These efforts advance United States foreign policy goals and support host countries, all while helping families and individuals in need," said Representative Lieu. "Despite longstanding bipartisan support, the Trump administration abandoned its responsibility to protect the world's most vulnerable populations. As the Trump administration treats refugees with hostility, it is more important than ever to stand in solidarity with refugee populations. Robust U.S. foreign aid and refugee resettlement programs are both morally right and a smart investment. I'm pleased to reintroduce this resolution with Senator Shaheen and reiterate our call to help people fleeing unimaginable circumstances."

The resolution is also cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-NY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The House resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Jesus G. Garcia (D-IL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Christian Menefee (D-TX), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Tory Carter (D-LA), Analilia Mejia (D-NJ), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) and Danny K. Davis (D-IL).

The resolution is supported by the following organizations: Church World Service, Refugee Council USA, Human Rights First, AfghanEvac, Friends Committee on National Legislation, HIAS, IRAP, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Refugees International, Refugee Congress and Refugee Advocacy Lab.

"World Refugee Day is an opportunity to honor the courage, humanity, and resilience of refugees everywhere, and to renew our commitment to welcoming and protecting those fleeing persecution," said Danilo Zak, Director of Policy at Church World Service. "It is also a moment of reckoning, when we must grapple with the devastating impacts of the ongoing refugee and travel bans that have left so many with no path to protection. CWS thanks Senator Shaheen, Representative Lieu, and their colleagues for standing with refugees and leading the 2026 World Refugee Day resolution. At its best, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is a shining example of American humanitarian values. We must fight to restore a refugee program that can once again enrich our communities, advance global stability, and support our national security."

"World Refugee Day arrives at a moment when more people are seeking safety than at any point in recorded history," said John Slocum, Executive Director, Refugee Council USA. "Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. The need has never been greater, yet in too many places, including the United States, the doors of welcome are closing. The Trump administration has corrupted the U.S. resettlement program, for the sake of a harmful ideological agenda that admits only one population at the exclusion of tens of thousands of refugees at risk around the world. Congress must hold the administration accountable to restore a refugee program that resettles those most at risk. At Refugee Council USA, our coalition refuses to retreat from the promise that those who seek refuge will find it here."

"Every person seeking safety has the fundamental right to request protection," Robyn Barnard, Vice President of Refugee and Immigrant Rights, Human Rights First. "As we approach the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, this fundamental right has been imperiled by cruel immigration policies that seek to disappear, harm, and deport people exercising their fundamental right to seek safety, including many who have in fact already been found to be refugees. Despite these harmful policies, people around the world continue to recognize the importance of offering safe harbor to people seeking safety-not as an obligation, but as a profoundly human act of solidarity and compassion, that in turn immeasurably enriches our lives and our communities. On World Refugee Day, as we honor the courage and strength of people seeking safety, Human Rights First wholeheartedly endorses this resolution, and calls on Congress to do everything in its power to uphold the right to seek safety for all those who are forced to flee from their homes."

Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

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