Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2024

This presidential determination sets the annual refugee admissions ceiling at 125,000 for Fiscal Year 2024, with regional allocations across five geographic areas. It also designates certain in-country populations—including persons in Cuba, Eurasia and the Baltics, Iraq, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras—as eligible to be considered refugees for U.S. admission purposes. The Secretary of State is authorized to transfer unused regional allocations after notifying Congress, and to publish the determination in the Federal Register.

Federal Register Open PDF 88 FR 73521

Impact dates

Oct 1, 2023
FY 2024 refugee admissions program begins

Key directives

Set FY 2024 refugee admissions ceiling at 125,000
Allocate admissions across five regional ranges
Authorize transfer of unused regional allocations to other regions upon notification to Congressional Judiciary Committees
Designate in-country populations in Cuba, Eurasia/Baltics, Iraq, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, and certain U.S. Embassy-identified persons as eligible refugees
Direct publication in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · Department of State

Timeline

Immediate

FY 2024 refugee admissions ceiling of 125,000 takes effect
Regional allocation ranges become operative
In-country refugee eligibility designations apply for FY 2024

Near term (90d)

Potential regional allocation transfers as needs arise during FY 2024

Long term

Annual refugee admissions policy for FY 2024 (October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024)

Risks & tensions

Regional allocation ranges provide flexibility but actual admissions historically fall below ceilings due to processing capacity constraints
In-country processing designations for Central America may interact with other asylum and parole programs, creating administrative complexity
Transfer authority requires Congressional notification but not approval, creating modest inter-branch tension if used extensively