Our Grassroots Supporters Helped Narrow the Vote and Change the Debate — Now the Race Is On to Secure Real Oversight

While our advocates' passionate voices helped stall passage for months, and keep the vote excruciatingly tight, the ICE/CBP reconciliation package finally passed earlier this month. It provides nearly $70 billion more funding for ICE and Border Patrol over the next three years — the largest enforcement expansion in modern history — funding mass deportations, detention expansion, aggressive interior enforcement, and an anti‑sanctuary city mandate, all without humanitarian safeguards or limits on detention or surveillance.  

Now, two major fiscal year 2027 spending bills — Homeland Security and Labor–HHS–Education — have passed out of committee and could reach the House floor soon. The FY27 Homeland Security bill proposes $99.5 billion for DHS, weakens civil‑rights and oversight offices, and includes no reforms to curb abuses by ICE or Border Patrol. The Labor–HHS bill slashes nearly $1.2 billion from Refugee and Entrant Assistance and $2.1 billion from the Unaccompanied Children program, adding restrictive riders that slow reunifications, punish immigrant‑serving programs, and block ORR from scaling services based on need. And at the same time, ICE has released updated detention standards that still allow indefinite detention, solitary confinement for people with serious mental illness, weak medical and mental health protections, and AI‑based translation for “non‑critical” communication — all without independent inspections or congressional guardrails. 

With reconciliation passed, FY27 bills advancing, and ICE weakening standards, the race is now on to get Congress to codify real guardrails and oversight before the end of this year and 119th Congress.  

We're asking our grassroots supporters to add their name to our action alert calling on Congress to reject these cuts, strengthen oversight, and protect lifesaving refugee and immigrant services.

We’re One Step Closer on Extending TPS for Haiti — Let’s Push Congress to Finish the Job 

Global Refuge has officially endorsed Senator Markey’s bill to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti (S.4814) — the Senate companion to the House‑passed version and a critical next step as we brace for a potentially adverse Supreme Court ruling.  

With the Senate finally acting, Congress is now positioned to act quickly to protect Haitian TPS holders, regardless of what the Supreme Court may decide in the next week. The Senate bill mirrors the House version and keeps pressure on lawmakers to safeguard lawful humanitarian pathways.  

Our grassroots supporters' messages to Representatives in the House (almost 900 of them!) helped move the House version of the bill over the finish line. We will soon share ways our grassroots advocates can urge their Senators to co-sponsor this bill!

Bipartisan Support for Afghans in Limbo  

More than 1,100 Afghan Refugees remain stranded at Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) in Qatar unable to move onward to the United States due to travel restrictions on Afghans and the ongoing suspension of many refugee cases.  

Rep. Crow of Colorado and Rep. Bacon of Nebraska led a bipartisan letter to the administration this month to urge safe resettlement options for Afghans at CAS. With thanks to the 468 advocates in our network from 38 states who urged their Representative to sign on, 83 lawmakers endorsed the letter, demonstrating broad, bipartisan support for Afghan allies. 

Read the press release and full letter here.

Global Refuge and our partners were out in FORCE at Refugee Council USA Advocacy Days – Were you there too? 

Earlier this month Refugee Council USA Advocacy Days brought together 250 delegates from nearly 40 states, uniting grassroots leaders, service providers, faith partners, and refugees and immigrants with lived experience for two days of coordinated action on Capitol Hill. Participants met with over 163 congressional offices to press for stronger protections, robust funding for refugee and immigrant services, and urgent action for Afghan allies and other displaced communities. Advocates shared powerful stories from their communities, highlighted the real‑world impact of harmful enforcement policies, and called on Congress to defend humanitarian pathways and invest in programs that help families rebuild. The message was unmistakable: Welcoming refugees is a core American value — and this nationwide movement is ready to keep pushing until Congress acts. 

Watch our highlights video here!

Were you at the RCUSA Advocacy Days? Or are you doing advocacy in your own communities? We want to hear all about it! Please tag @GlobalRefuge on social media, or share your pictures and stories with us directly if you’d like us to feature them in alerts and newsletters going forward. 

Please also continue to make clear to your Members of Congress why you care about these issues. You can use this easy question and answer style format to send a message straight to your Representative today!

Save the Date for our next Advocates Network Call on July 21st at 2pm ET. 

Next month's topic of conversation will be how to schedule and structure in-district meetings with your representatives during August recess. Register here if you are interested in attending!