President Biden interacts with a mother and child during a stop outside York High School in Yorktown, Va. (May 3, 2021)
President Joe Biden reversed his initial decision and announced on Monday (May 3) to quadruple the total number of refugees admitted to the United States this year. Biden had initially decided to maintain his predecessor’s policy of lowering the annual cap on the number of refugees admitted to the United States to a historic low.
“I am revising the cap on the number of refugees the United States will accept annually this fiscal year to 62,500,” Biden said in a statement Monday afternoon. “This removes the historically low figure of 15,000 set by the previous administration, a number that did not reflect the U.S. values of welcoming and enabling refugees as a nation. The new admissions cap will also strengthen ongoing efforts to expand America’s ability to accept refugees so that we can reach the goal of 125,000 refugees I intend to set for the next fiscal year.”
Two weeks ago, the White House announced that the refugee cap for the current fiscal year would remain at 15,000, a standard set by former President Donald Trump. Biden had promised a major expansion of the refugee admissions program after he took office in January, but the White House announced a decision to maintain the cap set by his predecessor, a move that drew backlash from some of Biden’s Democratic colleagues in Congress and refugee advocates.
The White House initially announced that decision at a time when Republicans in opposition were blasting Biden for failing to properly address the influx of migrants at the southern border. White House officials have acknowledged that the announcement sent the wrong message. They said the decision announced Monday reemphasizes the importance of accepting refugees as a key to America’s international standing.
“It is significant that this action is being taken today to remove lingering doubts in the minds of refugees around the world who have suffered so much and are anxiously looking forward to starting a new life,” Biden said in his statement. “The sad truth is that we will not reach our goal of 62,500 people this year. We are working quickly to repair the damage that has been done over the past four years. It will take some time, but that effort is already underway.
Shortly after Biden announced the decision, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced, “It remains in our national interest to open the door to those seeking asylum, which is part of our national DNA, and to treat those who apply for these programs in a fair and decent manner. “
Eric P. Schwartz, president of Refugees International (RI), said, “This is a proud and historic moment. At a time of great humanitarian need, welcoming refugees is not only a moral imperative, but it also advances U.S. national security, boosts our economy, enriches our communities, and demonstrates our willingness to work with other governments to address some of the world’s most complex problems.”
Alex Nowrasteh, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, argued that while the increase in the refugee admissions cap is welcome, “the reality is that the decision comes too late in the year to make a real impact.” He said, “The refugee agency is already overwhelmed, and we’ll be lucky if a quarter of the 62,500 cap on the number of people can be filled this year.”
Nolasco told Voice of America, “There is a need to systematically reform, expand and privatize the refugee system so that a future administration like Trump’s cannot decimate a program of this importance with the stroke of a pen.”
Rep. Scott DesJarlais, a Republican from Tennessee and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, mentioned that Biden had promised last month to maintain the headcount cap set by Trump. He said President Biden’s decision to increase the number of refugees he accepts “directly threatens our national security and public health security.”
The Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives, opposed Biden’s move.
The Republican Study Committee tweeted, “At a time when our country is experiencing an influx of illegal immigration not seen in 20 years, Joe Biden has raised the refugee cap by 400%. Let’s get this straight: this self-imposed crisis is absolutely intentional.”
Trump has cut the size of the refugee program during his four-year presidency. The refugee program is different from the system for immigrants to apply for asylum.
“The strongest thing we can do as a country is to lead by example,” said Andrew Albertson, executive director of Foreign Policy for America (FPA). “The announcement made by President Biden today is a clear sign that America is ready to lead again.”
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Biden’s announcement “is an important step in continuing our proud bipartisan tradition of providing protection for refugees through resettlement.
Recent Comments