Biden stalls on promise to increase refugee admissions
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas looks on as President Joe Biden puts away a signed executive order on immigration, Feb. 2, 2021. (AP)
President Joe Biden's administration in February proposed raising the refugee admissions cap for fiscal 2021 from 15,000 (as set by the Trump administration) to 62,500.
But this month, his administration said the admission of 62,500 refugees "seems unlikely."
On April 16, the Biden administration said that "the admission of up to 15,000 refugees remains justified by humanitarian concerns and is otherwise in the national interest." If 15,000 refugees are admitted before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, then "a subsequent presidential determination may be issued to increase admissions, as appropriate."
News reports citing 15,000 as an admissions cap prompted criticism from refugee advocates and Democratic lawmakers who said on April 16 that the number was too low and "unacceptable."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki later that day said that a final cap for 2021 would be announced by mid-May.
Psaki on April 19 said the 62,500 was "an aspirational goal" and that the Biden administration has "every intention to increase the cap." But the U.S. refugee program "has also been hollowed out in terms of personnel, staffing and financial and funding needs," she said.
Pending a final refugee admissions cap for 2021, we rate Biden's promise to increase refugee admissions as Stalled.
