III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 388 

Recognizing January 27, 2018, as the anniversary of the first refugee and 

Muslim ban, and urging the President to demonstrate true leadership 

on refugee resettlement. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 30, 2018 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. CANTWELL, Ms. HIRONO, 

Mr. DURBIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BROWN, Ms. 

DUCKWORTH, Mr. SCHATZ, and Mrs. MURRAY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing January 27, 2018, as the anniversary of the 

first refugee and Muslim ban, and urging the President 

to demonstrate true leadership on refugee resettlement. 

Whereas the world is in the midst of the worst global displacement crisis in history, with more than 22,500,000 

refugees worldwide, according to the United Nations 

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates; 

Whereas, in fiscal year 2017, UNHCR projected that more 

than 1,200,000 refugees were in need of resettlement to 

a third country, and this projection continues to grow in 

2018; 

Whereas the United States resettlement program is a life-saving solution critical to global humanitarian efforts, which 


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•SRES 388 IS 

serves to strengthen global security, leverage United 

States foreign policy goals, and support regional host 

countries while serving individuals and families in need; 

Whereas, for over 40 years, the United States has resettled 

up to 200,000 refugees per year, with an average ceiling 

of 95,000 refugees per year, and on average actually resettled 80,000 refugees per year; 

Whereas refugees are the most vetted travelers to enter the 

United States and are subject to extensive screening 

checks, including in-person interviews, biometric data 

checks, and multiple interagency checks; 

Whereas, it would be an abdication of United States leadership to resettle fewer than 75,000 refugees next fiscal 

year; 

Whereas the United States refugee resettlement system emphasizes early self-sufficiency through employment, and 

most adult refugees are employed within their first six 

months of arriving to the United States; 

Whereas refugees contribute to their communities by starting 

businesses, paying taxes, sharing their cultural traditions, 

and being involved in their neighborhoods, and reports 

have found that refugees contribute more than they consume in State-funded services including for schooling and 

health care; 

Whereas, on January 27, 2017, President Donald J. Trump 

released an Executive order banning individuals from 

seven Muslim-majority countries and all refugees from 

entering the country; 

Whereas, since that time, the President has taken further executive action to ban people from Muslim-majority counVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jan 31, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR388.IS SR388

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•SRES 388 IS 

tries and has taken steps to dismantle the United States 

refugee program; 

Whereas, in September 2017, President Trump announced a 

Presidential Determination of 45,000 for fiscal year 

2018, the lowest refugee admissions ceiling ever set; 

Whereas, during the first three months of fiscal year 2018, 

the United States welcomed a total of 5,323 refugees, in 

spite of the fact that to meet the 45,000 ceiling, 11,250 

individuals should have arrived during this time period; 

Whereas, at this pace, the United States may only admit between 15,000–20,000 refugees this year; and 

Whereas, United States structures and funding constrictions 

have resulted in lowered capacity and loss of institutional 

memory and experience in the successful United States 

Refugee Admissions Program: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms our country’s proud history of ref3 ugee resettlement; 

4 (2) recognizes January 27, 2018, as the anni5 versary of the first refugee and Muslim ban; 

6 (3) reaffirms the strong bipartisan commitment 

7 of the United States to promote the safety, health, 

8 and well-being of the millions of refugees; 

9 (4) underscores the importance of the United 

10 States Refugee Resettlement Program as a critical 

11 tool for United States global leadership; 

12 (5) recognizes the profound consequences faced 

13 by refugees and their families who have been strandVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jan 31, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR388.IS SR388

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1 ed, separated, and scarred by current United States 

2 policies, leaving many mid-process and more with lit3 tle hope of anticipated United States entry; and 

4 (6) calls upon the United States Government— 

5 (A) to resettle 45,000 refugees in fiscal 

6 year 2018; 

7 (B) to resettle at least 75,000 refugees in 

8 fiscal year 2019; 

9 (C) to uphold its international leadership 

10 role in responding to displacement crises with 

11 humanitarian assistance and protection of the 

12 most vulnerable populations; and 

13 (D) to recommit to offering freedom from 

14 oppression and resettling the most vulnerable 

15 refugees regardless of their country of origin or 

16 religious beliefs. 

Æ 


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