United States on track to admit zero persecuted Christian refugees in FY2026

A new joint report by Open Doors and World Relief warns that the United States is on track to admit zero Christian refugees fleeing persecution from the world’s most severe countries of concern in fiscal year 2026.

The report, titled “State of the Golden Door: Evaluating Refugee Resettlement & Asylum in Light of Global Christian Persecution,” was presented at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. It notes that refugee admissions from the 50 countries listed on the 2026 World Watch List have effectively fallen to zero. The organizations stated they can conclude with a “high degree of confidence” that no refugees experiencing religious persecution will be resettled in the U.S. during this fiscal year.

The report attributes this trend to recent administration policies, including a January 2025 executive order suspending refugee resettlement and guidance directing officials to remove noncitizens attempting to seek asylum. While the focus is on Christian persecution, the report notes that the halt in resettlement has also impacted other religious minorities.