Biden raises refugee admission limit to 62,500 after criticism | Refugee News

Refugee advocates hit U.S. President Joe Biden last month after returning to a plan to raise the entry limit.

Joe Biden’s U.S. refugee influx is rising to 62,500 for this event, after refugee advocates hit the U.S. president last month by withdrawing an earlier commitment to increase the limit.

In one statement on Monday, Biden said the new cap would “strengthen existing efforts to expand the United States’ capacity to accommodate refugees,” as well as help his administration achieve its main goal of accepting 125,000 refugees by 2022.

“This eliminates the historic figure set by previous 15,000 administrations, which did not reflect America’s values ​​as a nation that accepts and protects refugees,” Biden said in a statement.

Donald Trump sets US refugee admission limit at 15,000 – historical bass – as well as the imposition of additional restrictions that reduced the relocation criteria in the country.

In February, just weeks after taking office, Biden promised that the admission limit would be raised to 62,500 for the 2021 fiscal year through the end of September.

But the U.S. president made a commitment last month that his administration would leave the Trump-era cap on for the time being.

The announcement sparked outrage from refugee advocates and members of Biden’s own Democratic Party. This prompted refugees who were in dire need of protection to raise the border immediately to come to the US.

Amid a flurry of criticism, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden will reconsider the question, “on the way to establishing a final increased refugee limit by May 15 for this final event.”

The Biden administration said Trump had eliminated the refugee relocation system and that it would take time to rebuild it. Speaking on Monday, Biden said: “The sad truth is that this year we will not get 62,500 entries.”

However, he added: “We are working quickly to undo the damage of the last four years. It will take some time, but that work is already underway.”

The International Rescue Commission (IRC) said in an April report that without raising its cap, any U.S. president in Biden’s history was on track to accept the fewest refugees this year.

IRC President and CEO David Miliband was pleased to welcome Monday’s announcement that Biden is “good for America and good for refugees.”

GOOD NEWS: President Biden has increased the number of FY21 refugee arrivals to 62,500. ????

We support the US and it does # Refugees Welcome“Always.” This ad not only fulfills its promise; It is a step towards rebuilding America’s welcome. More: https://t.co/iAgIT8gw8m pic.twitter.com/MvfKyPFei2

– IRC – International Rescue Committee (@RESCUEorg) May 3, 2021

“After a very damaging four-year policy, we accept bold steps to restore refugee protection,” Miliband said. statement.

“There is a long way to go to fully rebuild, and we will continue to face challenges, but we at IRC are ready to roll up our sleeves and work with the administration to regain America’s global leadership position on refugee protection.”

U.S. refugee relocation agencies said last month that they were ready to begin the process of bringing refugees back to the country – but they were just waiting for Biden to officially raise the cap to sign the president’s decision and move the process forward again.

“It’s a signature we need to separate all of these people from security,” said Erol Kekic, director of the Church World Service’s immigration and refugee program, one of nine U.S. agencies to relocate refugees to the United States. said Al Jazeera at that hour.