Biden Quadruples Refugee Admission Cap
According to Joe Biden’s decision, the United States will accept a maximum of 62,500 refugees until the end of September, and will increase this number to 125,000 next year. Donald Trump had reduced this cap to 15,000.
The U.S. President revoked Trump’s refugee admission cap on Monday evening (May 4th) and said that 62,500 applicants will be allowed to enter the United States in 2021.
Trump had set this number at 15,000, which was the lowest cap since the refugee program was introduced in 1980.
The White House stated in a declaration that the American people support refugees and the 15,000-person cap did not “reflect the values and standards of the country.”
During Barack Obama’s administration, this cap was 110,000.
Human rights organizations had repeatedly called for an increase in this number. Biden had previously stated he would not change Trump’s approach; a position that faced severe criticism from Democratic Party representatives and led to his reconsideration.
The Biden administration has also begun making changes to U.S. border policy with Mexico and is seeking to reunite families that were separated under the Trump administration’s approach. The U.S. President has tasked Kamala Harris, his Vice President, with addressing the conditions of migrants at the southern borders.
It is still unclear whether the increase in the refugee admission cap will also include applicants from the Mexican border.
Three days earlier, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that it would not fund the construction of the border wall between the United States and Mexico. This wall was considered a favorite project of Donald Trump.
According to Joe Biden’s decision, existing restrictions on Syrian, Yemeni, and Somali refugees will be lifted, and the capacity for accepting applicants from Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America will also increase.
Source: DW
