Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102

§289 Acceptance of Membership by the United States; Conditions

Title 22 › CHAPTER 7 — INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS, CONGRESSES, ETC. › SUBCHAPTER XIX — INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ORGANIZATION › § 289

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President may accept United States membership in the International Refugee Organization. Its constitution was approved by the United Nations General Assembly in New York on December 15, 1946, and filed with the United Nations. That acceptance is allowed only if two conditions are met: (1) no agreement or action may admit, settle, or resettle anyone in the United States or its Territories or possessions without prior approval by Congress, and this law is not that approval; and (2) nothing may cancel, suspend, change, add to, or override U.S. immigration laws or any other U.S. laws.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §289

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The President is hereby authorized to accept membership for the United States in the International Refugee Organization (hereinafter referred to as the “Organization”), the constitution of which was approved in New York on December 15, 1946, by the General Assembly of the United Nations, and deposited in the archives of the United Nations: Provided, however, That this authority is granted and the approval of the Congress of the acceptance of membership of the United States in the International Refugee Organization is given upon condition and with the reservation that no agreement shall be concluded on behalf of the United States and no action shall be taken by any officer, agency, or any other person and acceptance of the constitution of the Organization by or on behalf of the Government of the United States shall not constitute or authorize action (1) whereby any person shall be admitted to or settled or resettled in the United States or any of its Territories or possessions without prior approval thereof by the Congress, and this subchapter shall not be construed as such prior approval, or (2) which will have the effect of abrogating, suspending, modifying, adding to, or superseding any of the immigration laws or any other laws of the United States.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 289

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102