The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. on September 25, 2026, marked a notable event in international relations. As state visits like this unfold, domestic policy faces critical deadlines, such as the reauthorization of the Lautenberg Amendment by Congress, due by September 30. This amendment, a vital refugee program, historically assisted Jews escaping antisemitism in Iran.
The Trump administration’s decision to close processing centers has impeded the program’s functionality, despite a stated commitment to combating antisemitism. Introduced in 1990, the Lautenberg-Specter program originally helped Jews and Christians in the Soviet Union reunite with their families in the United States. By 2004, it expanded to include religious minorities in Iran. Congress has consistently reauthorized it with bipartisan support, acknowledging ongoing persecution threats.
Senator Tom Cotton describes Iran as a significant source of antisemitism. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom claims Iran sponsors a global antisemitic campaign, threatening Jews and Jewish sites. However, the Trump administration’s actions have limited one key escape route for these persecuted groups.
Despite access challenges, the Lautenberg-Specter program has processed over 33,000 Iranian religious minorities between 2001 and 2025. Sponsorship from family or friends in the United States initiates the process, requiring applicants to travel to Austria for their cases’ progression, given the absence of a U.S. embassy in Iran. The Resettlement Support Center in Vienna handled document preparation, interviews, medical exams, and background checks until the State Department ended its grant funding. This closure impacted more than 14,000 Iranians in progress.
The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society’s ability to monitor individual cases ended when it lost access to government data. Current public guidance suggests applicants seek case details from the State Department or congressional representatives. The need for escape has intensified, especially amidst recent arrests due to Iran’s conflict with Israel affecting Baha’i, Christian, and Jewish communities.
The trump administration’s travel restrictions from Iran include an exception for persecuted ethnic and religious minorities but have not helped those stranded by the closed centers. President Trump’s commitment to combating antisemitism is noted by his establishment of a federal task force, agency directives, and investigating universities for antisemitic incidents.
Despite these promises, the dismantling of the Lautenberg program leaves thousands waiting for Congress to act by month’s end. The reauthorization of Lautenberg and reopening of processing centers could provide relief to stranded individuals and their families.
Mia Emmunah Toubian, an Iranian American journalist specializing in human rights research, has investigated women’s treatment in Iran’s political prisons. Jason Bryan Silverstein, a Harvard Medical School writer and anthropologist, directs the Media, Medicine, and Health Program.
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