S. 2655

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To establish a community-based refugee reception program to provide initial refugee resettlement services, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES · August 1, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Murphy · Committee: Committee on the Judiciary

S. 2655

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Community-based Refugee Reception Act of 2025.

SEC. 2. Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that—
- community-based refugee reception is not a replacement for resettlement services provided through experienced providers but serves as an effective complement to existing resettlement pathways by increasing the capacity of local communities to resettle refugees in the United States;
- in addition to supporting self-sufficiency of refugees, participation in community-based reception encourages United States citizens to meaningfully engage with their neighbors and local institutions while working toward a common goal;
- the Department of State should utilize all available tools to expand avenues for United States citizens to participate in refugee resettlement and capitalize on widespread interest in community-based reception models;
- the United States Refugee Admissions Program is a critical demonstration of efforts by the United States to extend hope, strengthen global security, and relieve suffering through refugee resettlement;
- although less than 1 percent of global refugees will ever be resettled in a third country, refugees resettled in the United States between 2005 and 2019 contributed a staggering $123,800,000,000 in net benefit to the economy according to studies conducted by the Federal Government;
- the world is currently faced with the greatest displacement and refugee crisis in history as record numbers of people have been forced to flee violence and persecution, including 36,800,000 refugees, and the United States must set the bar for a global response;
- when the United States invests in refugee and humanitarian protections, it stabilizes regional security and encourages other countries to expand access to resettlement and other pathways to protection; and
- processing and admission of refugees through the United States Refugee Admissions Program must immediately resume for all nationalities under consideration for resettlement in accordance with Federal law and international obligations.

SEC. 3. Definitions

In this Act:
Definitions
(1) Secretary
- The term Secretary means the Secretary of State.
(2) Reception and placement services
- The term reception and placement services means the initial reception and placement program managed by the Department of State that provides initial resettlement assistance to refugees arriving in the United States, such as—
  - the provision of housing, furnishings, clothing, and food;
  - assistance with access to medical, employment, educational, and social services; and
  - conducting cultural and social orientation for recently arriving refugees.
(3) United States Refugee Admissions Program
- The term United States Refugee Admissions Program means the program to resettle refugees in the United States pursuant to the authorities provided in sections 101(a)(42), 207, and 412 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (, 1157, and 1522). 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42)

SEC. 4. Eligibility as refugees of special humanitarian concern

(a) In general
- For the purpose of admission as a refugee under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (), refugees of special humanitarian concern eligible for processing under the United States Refugee Admissions Program shall include aliens referred by eligible community sponsorship groups subject to the requirements of section 415 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by section 5. 8 U.S.C. 1157
(b) Processing
- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a procedure for the United States Refugee Admissions Program to accept and process referrals from eligible community sponsorship groups.
(c) Applicability of other requirements
- Aliens referred for processing under this section shall satisfy the requirements of section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act () to qualify for admission to the United States. 8 U.S.C. 1157
(d) Applicability of numerical limitations
- Refugees admitted under this section shall not be subject to the numerical limitations described in sections 202, 203, 204, and 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (, 1153, 1154, 1157). 8 U.S.C. 1152
(e) Rule of construction
- Nothing in this section may be construed—
  - to authorize the Secretary to replace or reduce federally funded reception and placement services for aliens; or
  - to restrict the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to admit aliens to the United States under any other Act.

SEC. 5. Community-based Refugee Reception Program

Chapter 2 of title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act () is amended by adding at the end the following: 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.
- (a) Establishment
  - (1) In general
    - Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a program within the United States Refugee Admission Program, to be known as the (referred to in this section as the ), which shall use community sponsorship, private sponsorship, and partnerships between resettlement agencies and community groups to provide refugees with initial resettlement services, including reception and placement with sponsors, of refugees in the United States for a period of at least 90 days. Community-based Refugee Reception Program
  - (2) Procedure
    - The Secretary shall administer a procedure for accepting and approving applications for community sponsorship groups to participate in the Program, subject to requirements described in subsection (c).
- (b) Eligibility
  - (1) In general
    - A refugee admitted to the United States is eligible to participate in the Program if, pursuant to processes and procedures established by the Secretary—
      - such individual has been referred to the program to resettle refugees in the United States pursuant to the authorities provided in sections 101(a)(42), 207, and 412 by a community sponsorship group that intends to provide reception and placement services to the refugee and any immediate relative or beneficiary of the refugee; and
      - the Secretary determines such placement is in the interest of the refugee to facilitate self-sufficiency after considering the specific needs of the refugee and any immediate relative or beneficiary of the refugee.
  - (2) Exception
    - (A) In general
      - A refugee referred to the program to resettle refugees in the United States pursuant to the authorities provided in sections 101(a)(42), 207, and 412 by an entity other than a community sponsorship group may be placed with a community sponsorship group pursuant to section 415(c)(2), if the Secretary determines such placement is in the interest of the refugee to facilitate self-sufficiency in the United States.
    - (B) Considerations
      - In determining eligibility under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider the specific needs of the refugee, or of the immediate relatives or beneficiaries of such refugee, including the availability of accommodations for persons with disabilities.
- (c) Community sponsorship groups
  - (1) Eligibility
    - Community sponsorship groups that apply to participate in the Program may be eligible if the Secretary determines that the group has—
      - not less than 3 United States citizens or lawful permanent residents who live within the area where the refugee and the beneficiaries of such refugee, if applicable, intend to be resettled;
      - raised sufficient funds to cover associated expenses for the period of initial sponsorship for each sponsored refugee, which shall be an amount determined by the Secretary of State;
      - completed all required pre-arrival training as determined by the Secretary; and
      - provided all required biographic information of each sponsored refugee or refugees of special humanitarian concern for processing to the United States Refugee Admission Program according to the procedures set forth by the Secretary.
  - (2) Exception
    - Paragraph (1)(C) shall not apply with respect to community sponsorship groups that have provided consent to provide for initial resettlement for any refugee, and the immediate relatives or beneficiaries of such refugee, determined to be eligible for admission under section 207 and subject to the parameters provided by the community sponsorship group.
  - (3) Responsibilities
    - (A) In general
      - Community sponsorship groups shall be responsible for providing initial reception and placement services similar to services provided by domestic resettlement agencies and local affiliates for a refugee and the immediate relatives or beneficiaries of such refugee for not less than 90 days after the admission of such refugee, in lieu of services typically provided by domestic resettlement agencies and local affiliates.
    - (B) Rule of construction
      - Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit refugees from accessing public benefits or services other than reception and placement services.
- (d) Public-Private Partnership
  - (1) In general
    - The Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, one or more organizations to meet costs associated with training and other services rendered to community sponsorship groups. Funds under this paragraph shall be provided in coordination with the provision of other assistance in this chapter and not in lieu of payments for any other service.
  - (2) Organizations
    - The Secretary shall ensure that recipients of grants awarded pursuant to paragraph (1) sufficiently reflect geographic diversity and are inclusive of organizations with demonstrated experience in employing community sponsorship models for refugee reception, veteran service organizations, faith-based groups, and Private Sponsor Organizations.
  - (3) Duties
    - Organizations participating in the cooperative agreement shall be responsible for—
      - informing implementation of the Program; and
      - assisting the Secretary with developing—
        
        (i) mandatory training for all community sponsorship groups to be completed prior to application to the program, which shall include information on—
        
        all responsibilities of the community sponsorship group throughout the 90-day initial resettlement period and any additional duties or expectations beyond such period;
        
        demonstrated best practices for assisting refugees to attain self-sufficiency;
        
        the legal rights and protections of refugees;
        
        the general eligibility of refugees to access public benefits, including cash assistance, job training, language training, and other support authorized under this chapter; and
        
        any other requirements that the Secretary determines is necessary to facilitate resettlement of refugees in the United States;
        
        (ii) policies that provide for continuity of support to refugees in the event a community sponsorship group is unable to fulfill its responsibilities for the entirety of the 90-day initial resettlement period, including procedures for providing reimbursement to resettlement agencies for services provided as a result of any disruption in service;
        
        (iii) policies to prohibit waste, fraud, and abuse by community sponsorship groups; and
        
        (iv) a mechanism for refugees to independently report to the Secretary—
        
        any criminal or negligent activity by a community sponsorship group; or
        
        any behavior by a community sponsorship group that otherwise adversely affects the ability of the refugee to establish independence in the United States.
- (e) Communication with State and local governments
  - Not later than 60 days after September 20, 2026, and not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to representatives of State and local government, including State and local health agencies where community sponsorship groups are active, a report on current estimates of the total number of—
    - refugees intended to be resettled through the Program within the respective State or local jurisdiction in the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the report is being prepared;
    - community sponsorship applications received from their respective jurisdiction in the preceding fiscal year; and
    - community sponsorship groups approved to participate in the Program pending the arrival of a refugee.
- (f) Eligibility for assistance
  - Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit the access of a refugee who received initial reception and placement services from the Program to any assistance provided by the Office to aliens authorized under section 412 or any other provision of law.
- (g) Regulations
  - The Secretary may issue such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section.
- (h) Definitions
  - In this section:
    - The term reception and placement services means the initial reception and placement program managed by the Department of State that provides initial resettlement assistance to refugees arriving in the United States, such as—
    - The term Secretary means the Secretary of State.
- (i) Appropriations
  - There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.