Under the Refugee Act of 1980 (8 U.S.C. 1522), the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) during a defined period not to exceed 36 months (8 U.S.C. 1522(e)(1)).
ORR’s regulations authorize the Director of ORR to determine the appropriate eligibility period for RCA each fiscal year. (45 CFR 400.211.) The eligibility period for RCA has changed over time. In 2022, ORR determined the eligibility period as 12 months. ORR reduced the eligibility period to 4 months in 2025 (90 FR 13370, March 31, 2025) and then increased the eligibility period on July 14, 2026 to 8 months. (91FR4307, July 14, 2026;). On October 1, 2026, ORR corrected the eligibility period from 8 months to 12 months (91FR62534, October 1, 2026; DCL 26-05); this extension also applies to the Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) Cash Assistance programs. This change to the RCA, ECA and TCVAP eligibility period applies to individuals whose eligibility date is on or after January 1, 2026.
The California Department of Social Services has issued guidance on eligibility, required actions, and other requirements related to the implementation of this extension. (ACL 26-81, October 26, 2026.)
(A. Millan)