Biden quadruples refugee admission cap
Under Joe Biden's decision, the United States will accept a maximum of 62,500 refugees by the end of September, increasing that number to 125,000 next year. Donald Trump had reduced that cap to 15,000.
On Monday evening (May 4), the US President lifted Trump's cap on refugee admissions, saying 62,500 applicants would be allowed to enter the United States in 2021.
Trump had set this limit at 15,000, the lowest since the refugee plan was introduced in 1980.
The White House said in a statement that the American people support refugees and that the 15,000 cap did not "reflect the values and standards of the country."
Under Barack Obama's administration, this ceiling was 110,000 people.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for an increase in this number. Biden had previously said he would not change Trump's approach, an issue that drew strong criticism from Democratic representatives and led to his reconsideration.
The Biden administration has also begun to change U.S. border policy with Mexico, seeking to reunite families separated by the Trump administration's approach. The president has tasked his vice president, Kamala Harris, with addressing the plight of migrants at the southern border.
It is not yet clear whether the increase in the asylum acceptance cap will also include applicants at the Mexican border.
Three days ago, the US Department of Defense announced that it would not fund the construction of the border wall between the United States and Mexico, a pet project of Donald Trump.
According to Joe Biden's decision, existing restrictions on Syrian, Yemeni, and Somali refugees will be lifted, and the capacity to accept applicants from Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America will also be increased.
Source: DW
