The Biden administration will keep the refugee target for this year at the historically low level set by the Trump administration and return an earlier promise to welcome more than 60,000 refugees into the United States.
President Biden pledged in February to welcome those fleeing persecution around the world, and to set up the cap of 15,000 refugees instituted by the previous government. Foreign Minister Antony J. Blinken informed Congress on February 12 that the government plans to allow up to 62,500 refugees into the country in the fiscal year ending September 30.
The reversal of Mr Biden’s pledge to welcome thousands of families fleeing war and religious persecution points to the president’s reluctant approach to rebuilding an immigration system beaten by his successor. But the delay in the official designation of refugee admissions has already left hundreds of refugees traveling to the United States, stranded in camps around the world and furious resettlement agencies that Mr. Biden accused him of breaking an earlier promise to restore the American reputation as a sanctuary. for the oppressed.
A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the decision-making, said the administration was concerned that the escalation of border crossings by underage minors was too much and the refugee branch of the Department of Health and Human Services have already overwhelmed. . But migrants at the border seeking asylum are being processed into a completely separate system as refugees fleeing persecution overseas.
While those who walk on American soil are legally entitled to seek asylum and may eventually appear before an immigration judge in the United States, refugees are seeking protection abroad and are being forced to remove various levels of investigations that often years can last.
The administration will change subcategories for refugees created by the Trump administration that give priority to Iraqis who worked for the U.S. military and people, mostly Christians, who face religious persecution. But the classification also disqualified most other Muslim and African refugees. As a region, Africa has the most displaced people in need of resettlement. A government official said the Biden administration would be able to fill the 15,000 limit, although it would also abandon thousands of additional refugees to fly stranded to camps in the United States.