Current Events > Biden delays raising Trump-era cap on refugees

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/15/politics/biden-refugees/

President Joe Biden has resisted signing off on raising the Trump-era refugee cap because of political optics, sources have told CNN.

The President's hesitation comes as the administration faces heat from Republicans and Democrats for its handling of an influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border. But the situation at the US southern border is separate from the refugee program, which dates back decades and has a thorough vetting process in place for refugees overseas to resettle in the US.

One Democratic aide described what is unfolding as "vintage Biden" in terms of preserving his options so that he can maintain decision-making space for the one that best suits him politically.

Democratic lawmakers and advocates, frustrated with the delay, have tried to seek answers from the administration but have fallen short. When asked by reporters about next steps, administration officials haven't provided clarity, instead maintaining that the President is committed to the issue. Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was committed to raising the refugee ceiling to 62,500 this fiscal year but she didn't provide a timeline.

"In the meantime, the work to rejuvenate the program to support increased refugee admissions is well underway," the spokesperson said.

In February, the State Department presented Congress with a plan to expand the refugee cap put in place by former President Donald Trump -- set at 15,000 -- to allow up to 62,500 refugees to be resettled in the United States. As is normally the process, the State Department and White House had already agreed on the number.

The proposal was also in line with Biden's commitment during the campaign to raise the refugee ceiling and return the US to admitting a higher number of refugees after historic low arrivals under Trump. But with the situation on the US-Mexico border heating up, the proposal -- and accompanying paperwork -- has stalled.

The delay resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of refugee flights and left thousands of people expecting to arrive in the US after a years-long process in limbo.

Mark Hetfield, the president and CEO of HIAS, a refugee resettlement organization, shared the story of one nearly 30-year-old Congolese woman who had been vetted and approved to fly to the US in early March. When Biden's signature didn't come, her ticket was canceled, and because she is now in her third trimester, she can no longer travel.

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Bump
https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1383097700946694147


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Thanks, Ojoema.

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Awful

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nice

Not good.

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The shadow president strikes again

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https://twitter.com/JonathanBlitzer/status/1383140817120997377


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Based Biden?

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Lol

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Temporal posted...

Based Biden?

No

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It's not a good idea right now

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Finishing Trump's wall, two more weeks until gun control, deporting refugees... Biden is alright by me and will be more effective carrying Trump's policies because the media is the Dem's propaganda arm and refuses to criticize or call him racist lol.

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AtelierRyza3462 posted...

It's not a good idea right now

not safe.... Coronavirus pandemic. not anywhere close to getting out of it.
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Update: https://twitter.com/APDiploWriter/status/1383160623043854337


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Antifar posted...

Update: https://twitter.com/APDiploWriter/status/1383160623043854337

Well, that's progress, at least. Remains to be seen how much.

lifting the cap while we are under a huge pandemic seems nuts but ehh

Glad that by the time I got a chance to look into this things have turned around.

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