While the Trump administration’s policy change has decreased refugee admissions across nationalities, the change in policy has disproportionately impacted refugees from Muslim-majority nations. Refugees from Muslim-majority nations made up 47% of total refugees resettled in the United States in 2016. In 2018 that share had fallen to just 9%.
Toggle between "Total" and "by Year" to view proportional bubbles representing refugee resettlement by country of origin. Dark green bubbles represent muslim-majority countries, light green bubbles represent non-muslim-majority countries. Hover over bubbles to view country, number of refugees resettled, and year.
| Muslim-Majority | |
| Non-Muslim-Majority |
These changes to the refugee acceptance policies have had varying impacts across the country. Michigan, for example, went from receiving 3,042 refugees from Muslim-majority nations (71% of total) to just 86 in 2018 (13% of total). In Texas, the number fell from 3,578 in 2016 (46% of total) to just 149 (9% of total). In 2016, 75% of states had at least a third of their refugees coming from Muslim-majority nations. By 2018, no state had at least a third of their refugees coming from a Muslim-majority nation, with 8 states and DC receiving no refugees from Muslim-majority nations at all. Even if a state wants to admit more refugees they have little recourse for influencing the number of refugees resettled in their jurisdiction.
Hover over each state to view the difference in number of cases settled in 2014 compared to 2018. A negative number indicates that more refugees were resettled in that state prior to the shift in federal policy. Most states experienced a major decrease in the number- only two states welcomed more refugees in 2018 than 2014.
| Large decrease in number of refugees resettled | |
| Smaller decrease in number of refugees resettled in the state |
Once a refugee is admitted into the United States, they are matched with a nonprofit Volunteer Resettlement Agency (VOLAG)
who is tasked with providing sponsorship, initial housing, food, clothing, orientation, and counseling. These organizations are scattered
across the country and rely primarily on federal funding to support their activities. The decrease in refugees admissions has already resulted
in the closure of dozens of VOLAG offices across the country,
with the government submitting a plan to close nearly a quarter of the offices, eliminating offices in Hawaii, West Virginia, and Louisiana all together.
Misinformation has driven many negative conceptions about refugees, particularly those coming from Muslim-majority nations. However, emerging research disproves these myths.
A recent report from Stanford University’s Immigration Policy Lab indicates that reducing the number of refugees in a community does not reduce the crime rate.
Research from the Center for American Progress finds that refugees quickly become self-sufficient and, in the long-run, become well-integrated into society, having similar rates of labor force participation, wages and business ownership as their U.S. born neighbors.
Rather than being a financial burden to the U.S., research found that between 2005 and 2013 refugees and asylees contributed $63 billion more in taxes than they utilized in public services.
Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images North America
These findings have highlighted the need to set standards to preserve the United States’ legacy as a country that actively welcomes refugees. Massachusetts U.S. Ed Markey has proposed the “Guaranteed Refugee Admission Ceiling Enhancement Act”, or GRACE ACT, to set an annual refugee admissions floor of 95,000 (the historic average).
The International Rescue Committee provides information on how to contact your senator to pledge support for the Act.
With declining federal contributions, the VOLAGs are increasingly relying on private contributions and philanthropy to support their work.
Click here for information on local refugee resettlement agencies and ways to support.