Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2018

This presidential determination sets the FY 2018 refugee admissions ceiling at 45,000—the lowest level in decades at that time—and allocates those slots across five global regions. It also designates specific in-country populations (Cuba, Eurasia/Baltics, Iraq, Honduras/Guatemala/El Salvador, and exceptional embassy-identified cases) as eligible for refugee processing without requiring them to flee their home countries first.

Federal Register Open PDF 82 FR 49083

Impact dates

Date TBD
Federal Register publication
Oct 1, 2017
FY 2018 begins; refugee admissions ceiling takes effect

Key directives

Set FY 2018 refugee admissions ceiling at 45,000
Allocate admissions across five regional categories
Authorize regional transfer of unused admissions after congressional notification
Designate in-country processing eligibility for specific populations (Cuba, Eurasia/Baltics, Iraq, Honduras/Guatemala/El Salvador, exceptional embassy cases)
Direct Federal Register publication

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · Department of State

Timeline

Immediate

45,000 refugee admissions ceiling takes effect for FY 2018 (October 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018)
Regional allocations become operative
In-country refugee processing designations for specified populations take effect

Near term (90d)

Federal Register publication required
Congressional notification for any regional transfer of unused admissions

Long term

Structural reduction in U.S. refugee resettlement capacity
Precedent for historically low refugee caps in subsequent years

Risks & tensions

Dramatic reduction from 110,000 FY 2017 ceiling risks strain on refugee resettlement infrastructure and international humanitarian commitments
In-country processing for Central America may reflect tension with broader immigration enforcement posture
Regional transfer authority contingent on congressional notification creates procedural friction
Lowest refugee cap since 1980 Refugee Act implementation; text does not explain rationale for 45,000 figure