A future U.S. refugee program will center states' interests and leadership

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is undergoing its biggest structural shift in decades, as federal action moves resettlement toward a model where states have a greater leading role. This piece examines how giving states more say can better match refugee placement to local conditions, economic opportunities, and community capacity, and why that depends on credible data, robust community input, and formal processes for assessing what states can support. Done well, a state-centric system can strengthen American communities while preserving the program’s core humanitarian purpose.