Tracking every rollback, reversal, and overreach — and the path back to the America we know.
On October 4, 2018, the Trump administration issued Presidential Determination 2018-24135, setting the refugee admission ceiling for fiscal year 2019 at 18,000 individuals. This represents a reduction from the 45,000 ceiling established for fiscal year 2018. The determination directly reduced the number of refugees admitted to the United States in the 2019 fiscal year.
On September 29, 2017, President Trump signed Presidential Determination 2017-23140 setting the refugee admission ceiling for Fiscal Year 2018 at 45,000 individuals. This reduced the FY2017 ceiling of 110,000 by more than half. The determination directly reduced the number of refugees admitted to the United States during the fiscal year, from approximately 50,000 admitted in FY2017 to 22,491 admitted in FY2018.
On May 23, 2017, the Trump administration signed a sequestration order pursuant to Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act. The order authorized automatic spending cuts across federal agencies for fiscal year 2018. The sequestration reduced discretionary spending allocations to agencies including defense, education, health, and social services.