There have been historic lows for refugee admissions during the Trump administration: U.S. annual refugee resettlement ceilings and number of refugees admitted, fiscal years 1980–2026*
| Year | Refugee ceiling | Refugees admitted |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 231,700 | 207,116 |
| 1981 | 217,000 | 159,252 |
| 1982 | 140,000 | 98,096 |
| 1983 | 90,000 | 61,218 |
| 1984 | 72,000 | 70,393 |
| 1985 | 70,000 | 67,704 |
| 1985 | 67,000 | 62,146 |
| 1987 | 70,000 | 64,528 |
| 1988 | 87,500 | 76,483 |
| 1989 | 116,500 | 107,070 |
| 1990 | 125,000 | 122,066 |
| 1991 | 131,000 | 113,389 |
| 1992 | 131,000 | 132,531 |
| 1993 | 142,000 | 119,448 |
| 1994 | 121,000 | 112,981 |
| 1995 | 112,000 | 99,974 |
| 1996 | 90,000 | 76,403 |
| 1997 | 78,000 | 70,488 |
| 1998 | 83,000 | 77,080 |
| 1999 | 91,000 | 85,525 |
| 2000 | 90,000 | 73,147 |
| 2001 | 80,000 | 69,886 |
| 2002 | 70,000 | 27,131 |
| 2003 | 70,000 | 28,403 |
| 2004 | 70,000 | 52,873 |
| 2005 | 70,000 | 53,813 |
| 2006 | 70,000 | 41,223 |
| 2007 | 70,000 | 48,282 |
| 2008 | 80,000 | 60,191 |
| 2009 | 80,000 | 74,654 |
| 2010 | 80,000 | 73,311 |
| 2011 | 80,000 | 56,424 |
| 2012 | 76,000 | 58,238 |
| 2013 | 70,000 | 69,926 |
| 2014 | 70,000 | 69,987 |
| 2015 | 70,000 | 69,933 |
| 2016 | 85,000 | 84,994 |
| 2017 | 50,000 | 53,716 |
| 2018 | 45,000 | 22,655 |
| 2019 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| 2020 | 18,000 | 11,814 |
| 2021 | 62,500 | 11,411 |
| 2022 | 125,000 | 25,465 |
| 2023 | 125,000 | 60,014 |
| 2024 | 125,000 | 100,034 |
| 2025 | 125,000 | 27,308 |
| 2026 | 7,500 |
Notes: *Total for fiscal year 2025 represents only refugees admitted during the first three months of fiscal year 2025, which is October 1 to December 31, 2025 (the U.S. federal government's fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30). Totals for fiscal year 2026 admissions are not yet available. Figure adapted from data analyzed by the Migration Policy Institute. See Migration Policy Institute data tool, “U.S. Annual Refugee Resettlement Ceilings and Number of Refugees Admitted, 1980–Present.”
Source: Migration Policy Institute analysis of WRAPS data from the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State. Migration Policy Institute, Migration Data Hub, last accessed November 12, 2025.
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