S 3535 — GRACE Act

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html December 17, 2025

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a minimum annual refugee admission goal of 125,000, modifies existing provisions on determining refugee admissions, and introduces new reporting requirements.

• 8 U.S.C. 1157(a)

  the number of refugees who may be admitted under this section in any fiscal year after fiscal year 1982 shall be such number as the President determines, before the beginning of the fiscal year and after appropriate consultation, is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest. → the number of refugees who may be admitted under this section in any fiscal year shall be the sum of-- (A) such number as the President determines is justified by humanitarian concerns or otherwise in the national interest, which shall be not fewer than 125,000; and (B) such number as the President determines shall be admitted to the United States through community or private sponsorship, by which community groups and private sponsors provide to a refugee and the immediate relatives or beneficiaries of the refugee initial reception and placement services similar to services provided by domestic resettlement agencies and local affiliates, in lieu of services typically provided by domestic resettlement agencies and local affiliates.

  The President is now required to ensure a minimum of 125,000 refugees are admitted each fiscal year.

• 8 U.S.C. 1157(a)

  If the President determines, after appropriate consultation, that (1) an unforeseen emergency refugee situation exists, (2) the admission of certain refugees in response to the emergency refugee situation is justified by grave humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest, and (3) the admission to the United States of these refugees cannot be accomplished under subsection (a), the President may fix a number of refugees to be admitted to the United States during the succeeding period (not to exceed twelve months) in response to the emergency refugee situation... → If the President does not issue a determination under paragraph (1) before the beginning of a fiscal year, the number of refugees who may be admitted in that fiscal year under this section shall be 125,000.

  In the absence of the President's determination, a default admission of 125,000 refugees is established.

• 8 U.S.C. 1157(a)

  Each officer of the Federal Government responsible for refugee admissions or refugee resettlement shall treat as the numerical goals for refugee admissions under this section for the applicable fiscal year-- (A)(i) a determination under paragraph (1); or (ii) in the absence of a determination under paragraph (1), the number under paragraph (2); and (B) a determination under subsection (b).

  Federal officers must establish specific numerical goals for refugee admissions based on new criteria.

• 8 U.S.C. 1157(a)

  In making a determination under paragraph (1), the President shall consider the number of refugees who are in need of resettlement in a third country, as determined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the most recently published projected global resettlement needs report.

  The President must now consider global resettlement needs when determining admission numbers.

• 8 U.S.C. 1157(a)

  The President shall determine regional allocations for admissions under this subsection, which shall-- (A)(i) reflect the projected needs identified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the projected global resettlement needs report for the calendar year beginning immediately after the beginning of the applicable fiscal year; or (ii) include an assessment by the Secretary of State detailing the humanitarian and national interest justifications for prioritizing refugee admissions from 1 or more regions; and (B) include an unallocated reserve that the Secretary of State, after notifying the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, may use for 1 or more regions in which the need for additional refugee admissions arises.

  Regional allocations for refugee admissions must now be determined and reported, allowing for flexibility based on needs.

• 8 U.S.C. 1157

  Not later than 15 days after the last day of each quarter, the President shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, and publish on a publicly accessible website, a report that includes the following: (1) The number of refugees admitted to the United States during the preceding quarter...

  Quarterly reporting requirements on refugee admissions are established, including public accessibility.

Action History

1. December 17, 2025

   Introduced in Senate

2. December 17, 2025

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

• Edward J. Markey · Primary
• Elizabeth Warren · Cosponsor
• Christopher Murphy · Cosponsor
• Tina Smith · Cosponsor
• Tim Kaine · Cosponsor
• Richard Blumenthal · Cosponsor
• Peter Welch · Cosponsor
• Patty Murray · Cosponsor
• Jeanne Shaheen · Cosponsor
• Mazie K. Hirono · Cosponsor
• Jeff Merkley · Cosponsor
• Christopher A. Coons · Cosponsor
• Richard J. Durbin · Cosponsor
• Ron Wyden · Cosponsor
• Bernard Sanders · Cosponsor
• Tammy Duckworth · Cosponsor
• Cory A. Booker · Cosponsor
• Andy Kim · Cosponsor
• Adam B. Schiff · Cosponsor

Subjects