U.S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
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Lautenberg Program Fact Sheet

September 7, 2022

The Lautenberg Amendment allows citizens in former Soviet Union countries, including Ukraine, who are members of a religious minority group to join their family members living in the United States. These religious groups include Jews, Evangelical Christians, Ukrainian Catholics, and members of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and Greek Orthodox Church.

The program created under the Lautenberg amendment operates through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Unless reauthorized by Congress, it expires each fiscal year on September 30.

The Specter Amendment in 2004 opened up Lautenberg program eligibility for certain members of religious minority groups in Iran, including Jews, Christians, Baha’is, Sabaean-Mandaeans and Zoroastrians.

Click here to read the full fact sheet by USCRI.


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