|
But
as criticism mounted, the White House issued a statement saying
Biden would set a "final, increased refugee cap" for the
remainder of this fiscal year by May 15.
Biden's order to limit admissions to 15,000 was a blow to
advocacy groups that wanted the Democratic president to move
swiftly to reverse the refugee policies of the Republican Trump,
who had set the figure as a way to limit immigration.
The program for admitting refugees is distinct from the asylum
system for migrants. Refugees must be vetted while still
overseas and cleared for entry to the U.S., unlike migrants who
arrive at a U.S. border and then request asylum.
Biden, who took office in January, had signaled two months ago
plans to raise the cap during the 2021 fiscal year ending on
Sept. 30, but held off on actually doing so.
The president's cautious approach appears to have been tied to
concerns over the optics of admitting more refugees at a time of
rising numbers of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in
recent months, and to not wanting to look "too open" or "soft,"
another U.S. official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Criticism was swift. "Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our
time there is no reason to limit the number to 15,000. Say it
ain't so, President Joe," said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the
second highest ranking Democrat in the Senate. Advocates say the
two groups of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, are
distinct and that resettlement was long neglected under Trump.
Hours later as the complaints flowed in, White House spokeswoman
Jen Psaki said in a statement the original announcement had been
"the subject of some confusion" and that a final refugee cap for
the year would be set by May 15.
Psaki said, Biden's "initial goal of 62,500 seems unlikely"
between now and the end of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, "given the
decimated refugee admissions program we inherited."
Republicans have blamed Biden for the situation at the border,
faulting his moves to reverse other Trump-era hardline
immigration policies.
Biden pledged in February to increase the number of refugees
admitted in the next fiscal year to 125,000.
Under the presidential determination signed by Biden, the United
States will offer refugee status to a wider part of the world
than had been allowed by Trump by changing the allocation of
refugee slots, the senior administration official said.
Under Biden's new plan, the 15,000 slots would be allocated this
way: 7,000 for Africa, 1,000 for East Asia, 1,500 for Europe and
Central Asia, 3,000 from Latin America and the Caribbean, 1,500
from the Near East and South Asia, and 1,000 for an unallocated
reserve.
'UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE'
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on
Twitter that the cap was "completely and utterly unacceptable."
"Biden promised to welcome immigrants, and people voted for him
based on that promise," Ocasio-Cortez wrote.
Democratic U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal called Biden's
decision not to raise Trump's "harmful, xenophobic and racist
refugee cap" unconscionable.
Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and White House adviser
under Trump, said on Twitter that Biden was likely concerned
that border issues could lead to losses for Democrats in the
2022 midterm elections. Miller said he would favor "zero"
refugee admissions.
Refugee advocates called the decision unjustified given that
there are around 35,000 refugees who have already been vetted
for security and cleared for entry to the United States, with a
total of about 100,000 at various stages in the pipeline.
Refugee groups previously expressed frustration that Biden had
delayed issuing the cap for months, which left refugees who were
scheduled to travel stranded. Mark Hetfield, president of the
HIAS resettlement agency, said around 700 flights were canceled
due to the holdup.
"One can't help but guess that they are conflating the refugee
issue with what is happening at the border with the refugee
program, which is a real disservice," Hetfield told Reuters.
An increasing number of families and unaccompanied minors from
Central America, many seeking asylum, have been among the those
detained at the border in recent months. The refugee program
offers a pathway for people to apply abroad to resettle in the
United States. Advocates were dismayed by the small number of
slots for Central Americans in the announced cap.
Refugee admissions reached historic lows under Trump, who
portrayed refugees as a security threat and made limiting the
number of immigrants allowed into the United States a hallmark
of his presidency.
The International Rescue Committee refugee advocacy group called
Biden's action "a disturbing and unjustified retreat."
If resettlement continues at the current pace, the group said,
Biden "is on track to resettle the lowest number of refugees of
any president in U.S. history."
(Additional reporting by Ted HessonEditing by Will Dunham, Chizu
Nomiyama, Aurora Ellis and Jonathan Oatis)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
