[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2655 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2655
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
Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a community-based refugee reception program to provide
initial refugee resettlement services, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 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--
(1) 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;
(2) 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;
(3) 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;
(4) 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;
(5) 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;
(6) 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;
(7) 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
(8) 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:
(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--
(A) the provision of housing, furnishings,
clothing, and food;
(B) assistance with access to medical, employment,
educational, and social services; and
(C) 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 (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42),
1157, and 1522).
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 (8 U.S.C. 1157),
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.
(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 (8 U.S.C. 1157) to qualify
for admission to the United States.
(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 (8 U.S.C. 1152, 1153, 1154, 1157).
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed--
(1) to authorize the Secretary to replace or reduce
federally funded reception and placement services for aliens;
or
(2) 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 (8
U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 415. COMMUNITY-BASED REFUGEE RECEPTION PROGRAM.
``(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
`Community-based Refugee Reception Program' (referred to in
this section as the `Program'), 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.
``(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--
``(A) 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
``(B) 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--
``(A) 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;
``(B) 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;
``(C) completed all required pre-arrival training
as determined by the Secretary; and
``(D) 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--
``(A) informing implementation of the Program; and
``(B) 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--
``(I) all responsibilities of the
community sponsorship group throughout
the 90-day initial resettlement period
and any additional duties or
expectations beyond such period;
``(II) demonstrated best practices
for assisting refugees to attain self-
sufficiency;
``(III) the legal rights and
protections of refugees;
``(IV) the general eligibility of
refugees to access public benefits,
including cash assistance, job
training, language training, and other
support authorized under this chapter;
and
``(V) 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--
``(I) any criminal or negligent
activity by a community sponsorship
group; or
``(II) 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--
``(1) 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;
``(2) community sponsorship applications received from
their respective jurisdiction in the preceding fiscal year; and
``(3) 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:
``(1) 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--
``(A) the provision of housing, furnishings,
clothing, and food;
``(B) assistance with access to medical,
employment, educational, and social services; and
``(C) conducting cultural and social orientation
for recently arriving refugees.
``(2) Secretary.--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.''.
<all>