Protect Refugees Worldwide

The U.S. must not walk away from its humanitarian commitments. Urge your Senators to oppose foreign aid rescissions now!

On July 4, 2025, the President signed H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, into law—a sweeping reconciliation package that undermines humanitarian protections and dismantles vital support systems for forcibly displaced people.

JRS/USA opposed this bill, and, with the support of over 1,500 advocates who signed our petition, we made our concerns heard in the run-up to the Senate vote.

But our work continues—and it’s more urgent than ever.

What’s Happened Since Then

  • In June–July 2025, the Administration submitted a formal rescission request under the Impoundment Control Act—seeking to revoke $8.3 billion in congressionally approved FY 2025 foreign assistance. These funds target core refugee assistance accounts:

    • Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA)

    • International Disaster Assistance (IDA)

  • The House passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 (H.R. 4) on June 12, and the Senate approved it narrowly on July 16.

  • By August, the full rescission package, canceling nearly $9 billion—including cuts to refugee aid, disaster relief, economic development, and public broadcasting—became law.

  • Legally, President Trump attempted to proceed further using a “pocket rescission“, a rarely invoked maneuver to freeze nearly $5 billion more in foreign aid without congressional approval. This includes funds for peacekeeping, development, and democracy initiatives.
  • The move is under legal challenge. A federal judge ordered the funds disbursed, and the Administration appealed to the Supreme Court. As of September 9, the Court granted a temporary pause on the disbursement order, extending the legal fight and leaving global aid programs in limbo.

What This Means—and What We Must Do

Who or What Impact
Refugee & disaster support Deep cuts to MRA and IDA drastically reduce life-saving programs for displaced families.
Foreign aid & diplomacy Canceling nearly $5B more through a pocket rescission threatens global health, stability, and U.S. credibility abroad.
Legal precedent The Supreme Court’s involvement signals a critical battle over separation of powers and Congress’s authority over spending.

Our moral imperative remains clear: at a time when historic levels of displacement challenge global responses, cutting these budgets abandons populations facing war, climate disaster, and persecution—and it erodes U.S. moral leadership.

How You Can Act—Now

  1. Tell your Senators:

    • Vote NO on any further rescission attempts.

    • Oppose the current pocket rescission and uphold humanitarian funding.

  2. Speak out publicly:

    • Share how cuts to refugee and disaster assistance undermine U.S. values.

    • Use your platform to amplify JRS/USA’s call for moral leadership and solidarity.

  3. Support the legal fight:

    • Encourage legal allies defending aid from this executive overreach.

    • Stand behind checks and balances that guarantee accountability and transparency.

  4. Push for long-term commitments:

    • Demand robust FY 2026 refugee aid and assistance funding.

    • Ensure MRA and IDA remain intact, maintained by Congress—not subject to unilateral executive cuts.

Your advocacy made a difference before—now, the stakes are even higher.