October 2025 Refugee & Immigration Resources

Topics: Action Tool, Advocacy, Civil Rights, Food, Immigration, Justice Format: Article, Explainer, Handout, Statement, Toolkit Language: English

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Seeking to be a source of trusted information/resources for local congregations, Regions, and ministry partners, Justice & Advocacy Ministries offers the following curated list of
toolkits, articles, and action items about refugee and immigration ministries.

Refugee Program Updates During the US Government Shutdown

There are currently no refugees being resettled in the U.S. and tens of thousands of refugees who were approved for resettlement when the Trump administration’s ban took effect are still stranded overseas.

Trump Administration Plans to Cut Refugee Admissions to a Record Low
President Trump reportedly signed a Presidential Determination that would slash the refugee program to a historic low of 7,500 refugees with many slots reserved for white South Africans. Last year’s refugee resettlment cap was 125,000. The record low for any other President is 60,000.

Faith Leaders Condemn Administration Efforts to Abandon Historic US Refugee Program In a press release Church World Service alongside its fellow Covenant Members condemned White House efforts to abandon the US Refugee Program, and issued this statement as a rallying cry for the nation’s faith communities to unify in the name of the stranger and the sojourner.

Background: Congressional Consultations Required by the Refugee Act of 198
At this time, no refugees can be resettled because the administration failed to conduct appropriate consultations with Congress before setting a Presidential Determination (PD) on Refugee Admissions as it is required to do under the Refugee Act of 1980, CWS explains.

Strong Majority of US Voters Continue to Support the Refugee Program
New polling from Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugees International, and Data for Progress shows that a large majority of voters support the U.S. having a refugee program and oppose many of the current administration’s recent anti-immigrant policies.

Faith Groups Outraged at Lowest Refugee Admission Goal in US History
Guided by diverse faith traditions, the Interfaith Immigration Coalition shares collective alarm that the current administration intends to drastically slash the refugee resettlement program and abandon refugees fleeing persecution and war. The IIC stands against the exclusion of any refugee simply because of who they are, where they come from, or what they believe.

TAKE ACTION: Stand with Stranded Refugees
This action alert from our friends at Church World Service allows you to contact your two US Senators and one Representative and urge them to call on the administration to reverse course and restore the refugee admissions program for the most at-risk refugees around the world.

Immigration & Asylum Updates During the US Government Shutdown

What a Government Shutdown Means for the Immigration System
A thorough explainer article from the American Immigration Council that details why ICE actions as well as many US Citizenship and Immigration Services programs will continue during the Government Shutdown, while some immigration court activities may not.

DHS Keeps Paying 70,000 Law Enforcement Officials amid Gov’t Shutdown
The administration is doubling down on its plans to keep paying some federal law enforcement employees, while many government workers go without pay, the Federal News Network reports.

Federal Agents use Tear Gas Against Communities in Violation of Judge’s Order NYT reports,despite an order from a federal judge largely prohibiting the use of “less lethal” weapons against protesters and reporters, federal agents continue to use crowd control munitions.

Civil Rights Toolkit: Speaking Out Despite Government Censorship and Threats
Document from the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights provides a clear, tested framework for messaging about civil rights that empowers you to speak from your core values.

NIJC Explainer: What You Need to Know about Operation “Freaky Friday
On October 2, a widely circulated email reported a forthcoming ICE operation called “Freaky Friday.” This operation appears to pressure certain vulnerable immigrant children in federal care, and possibly some previously detained young people, to give up their legal rights and applications for humanitarian protection and to agree to depart the US. NIJC offers a thorough explainer.

TAKE ACTION: Urge Elected Officials to Condemn the DHS Plan to Incentivize Unaccompanied Children’s Departure
This action alert from our friends at Church World Service allows you to contact your two US Senators and one Representative and urge them to condemn DHS’s plan to incentivize children to leave the U.S. and to support programs and services that keep children safe.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Your State and Elected Officials to Stand with Refugees and Other Newcomers in the Wake of SNAP Cuts
We need our state and local leaders to proactively respond to the SNAP cuts set to impact our local communities; particularly refugees and asylum seekers. Take action to urge your state officials to take steps to ensure the most vulnerable can continue to put food on the table.