Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021

This determination raises the FY 2021 refugee admissions ceiling from 15,000 to 62,500 due to an unforeseen emergency refugee situation, while adjusting regional allocations. It supersedes the numeric caps in Presidential Determination 2021-05 but retains its other provisions, directing the Secretary of State to publish it in the Federal Register.

Federal Register Open PDF 86 FR 24475

Impact dates

Date TBD
Refugee admissions to reach 62,500 target
Sep 30, 2021
FY 2021 refugee admissions ceiling expires

Key directives

Raise FY 2021 refugee admissions ceiling to 62,500
Adjust regional allocations per specified numbers
Retain all other provisions of PD 2021-05 except superseded numeric caps
Publish determination in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · Department of State

Timeline

Immediate

Publication in Federal Register
USRAP partners authorized to proceed with travel preparations for refugees previously excluded

Near term (90d)

Resettlement agencies scale capacity toward 62,500 target
State Department and DHS/HHS coordinate admissions processing

Long term

FY 2021 refugee admissions program operates at elevated ceiling through September 30, 2021
Potential capacity-building precedent for future refugee admissions

Risks & tensions

Capacity constraints: document acknowledges need for 'additional briefing' on agency capacity before raising ceiling, suggesting implementation risks
Political tension: 4x increase from Trump-era 15,000 cap may face congressional and public scrutiny
Temporal limitation: FY 2021 ends September 30, 2021, leaving ~150 days to process 62,500 admissions—unclear if logistically achievable
Vague 'unforeseen emergency refugee situation' lacks specific geographic or causal definition