After blowback from Democrats, Biden promises to raise refugee admissions cap over 8x Trump-era limit



President Joe Biden announced Monday a fourfold increase in annual United States refugee admissions this year, capitulating to liberal critics who had criticized Biden for not increasing the cap sooner.

What is the background?

Biden took heavy fire from Democrats after he refused to increase the number of refugees the U.S. would admit this year. In fact, Biden signed an order maintaining a limit of 15,000, which was established under former President Donald Trump.

Democrats accused Biden of breaking his campaign promise to significantly increase Trump-era refugee limits.

"Completely and utterly unacceptable. Biden promised to welcome immigrants, and people voted for him based on that promise. Upholding the xenophobic and racist policies of the Trump admin, incl the historically low + plummeted refugee cap, is flat out wrong. Keep your promise," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said, "It is simply unacceptable and unconscionable that the Biden Administration is not immediately repealing Donald Trump's harmful, xenophobic, and racist refugees cap that cruelly restricts admissions to a historically low level ... President Biden has broken his promise to restore our humanity."

What did Biden do now?

In a dramatic reversal, Biden announced Monday he was revising the annual refugee cap to 62,500 for the current fiscal year and promised to raise the limit to 125,000 for the upcoming 2022 fiscal year.

"This erases the historically low number set by the previous administration of 15,000, which did not reflect America's values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees," Biden said.

Biden first promised to raise the cap to 62,500 in February, which made last month's announcement even more confusing for Democrats. Contextually, however, it came as Biden was being criticized for the growing migrant crisis at the southern U.S. border.

Taking more shots at Trump, Biden revealed the impact of the admissions cap increase is immediate.

"So we are going to rebuild what has been broken and push hard to complete the rigorous screening process for those refugees already in the pipeline for admission," Biden said.

"The sad truth is that we will not achieve 62,500 admissions this year. We are working quickly to undo the damage of the last four years. It will take some time, but that work is already underway," he added. "We have reopened the program to new refugees. And by changing the regional allocations last month, we have already increased the number of refugees ready for departure to the United States."

Anything else?

Biden has made comprehensive immigration reform a central part of his presidential plan.

On his first day in office, Biden proposed an ambitious plan that, among other things, would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants living in the U.S. illegally as well as provide assistance for increased migrant integration into society.

According to the New York Times, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is exploring unique legislative avenues to enact Biden's immigration agenda, including using the budget reconciliation process.

If permitted, the process would allow Democrats to pass immigration reform with a simple majority of 51 votes.

Biden finally admits there is a crisis at the border after caving to pressure from progressives to raise refugee cap



President Joe Biden finally admitted on Saturday that there is a crisis at the U.S. southern border. The Biden administration previously refused to use the word "crisis" when addressing the unprecedented surge of migrants flooding the southern border in recent months.

After golfing in Delaware on Saturday, the press asked Biden about the U.S. refugee cap, which made headlines this week when there were reports that the number would remain the same as the Trump administration. White House reporters said on Friday that the Biden administration would have a refugee cap of 15,000 — the same historically low number that former President Donald Trump had during his time in office.

During the campaign, Biden vowed to raise the refugee cap to 125,000. However, Biden is on track to accept the fewest number of refugees this year of any modern president, including Trump, according to a report from the International Rescue Committee.

Following reports that Biden would not increase the refugee cap, several progressive Democrats, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) lashed out at Biden for not accepting more refugees. The far left-wing politicians labeled Biden's failure to raise the refugee cap as "racist," "xenophobic," "unconscionable," and "utterly unacceptable."

Hours after the reports and the outrage, the White House seemed to reverse course and blamed "confusion" for the refugee cap report. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden has been consulting with advisors to "determine what number of refugees could realistically be admitted to the United States between now and October 1."

"Given the decimated refugee admissions program we inherited, and burdens on the Office of Refugee Resettlement, his initial goal of 62,500 seems unlikely," Psaki said, making a reference to the border crisis and the surge of unaccompanied children and the proposal by Biden's State Department to accept 62,500 refugees for the current fiscal year.

On Saturday, Biden appeared to cave to the pressure of the progressive Democrats, and said that he would increase the refugee cap. "We're going to increase the number," Biden said of the refugee cap.

Then Biden finally admitted that there is a crisis at the southern border.

"The problem was that the refugee part was working on the crisis that ended up on the border with young people," Biden told reporters in Wilmington. "We couldn't do two things at once. But now we are going to increase the number."

For all the debate on language, the president himself used the word “crisis” to describe the situation at the border https://t.co/q4ul4crzlh
— Jonathan Lemire (@Jonathan Lemire)1618690457.0

The Biden administration has gone out of their way to not classify the migrant surge as a "crisis." On March 22, Psaki refused to call the historic surge of migrants at the southern border a "crisis."

"Children, presenting at our border, who are fleeing violence, who are fleeing prosecution, who are fleeing terrible situations is not a crisis," Psaki said. "We feel that it is our responsibility to humanely approach this circumstance, and make sure they are treated and put in conditions that are safe."

On March 17, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas delivered testimony before a House panel, where Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said, "Cartels and traffickers see that the greenlight is on at our southern border and the United States is open for business again. This administration has created this crisis by rescinding these agreements."

Mayorkas rebutted McCaul's use of the word "crisis."

"I will share with you how I define a crisis. A crisis is when a nation is willing to rip a nine-year-old child out of the hands of his or her parent and separate that family to deter future migration," Mayorkas said. "That to me is a humanitarian crisis. And what the president has committed to and what I am committed to and execute is to ensure that we have an immigration system that works and that migration to our country is safe, orderly and humane."

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that 172,000 people attempted to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border, a 71% increase in border crossers from February. So far this year, the CBP has encountered 569,800 at the U.S. border.

The Biden administration is reportedly spending at least $60 million a week to accommodate the more than 16,000 migrant minors in federal facilities operated by the Department of Health and Human Services.

AOC and other Democrats lash out at Biden for keeping Trump's 'racist' refugee cap after promising major increase during the campaign



President Joe Biden received a tidal wave of criticism on Friday following the announcement that the administration would not increase refugee admissions this year. Much of the backlash that Biden received for keeping the historically low refugee caps set by former President Donald Trump was from fellow Democrats, including the outspoken Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

While running for president, Biden promised to reverse much of the immigration policies of the Trump administration. Biden made a campaign pledge to drastically increase Trump's refugee cap of 15,000 per year to 125,000, and promised to "raise it over time commensurate with our responsibility, our values, and the unprecedented global need."

The Biden campaign website states:

Increase the number of refugees we welcome into the country. With more than 70 million displaced people in the world today, this is a moment that demands American leadership. Offering hope and safe haven to refugees is part of who we are as a country. As a senator, Joe Biden co-sponsored the legislation creating our refugee program, which Trump has steadily decimated. His Administration has reduced the refugee resettlement ceiling to its lowest levels in decades and slammed the door on thousands of individuals suffering persecution, many of whom face threats of violence or even death in their home countries. We cannot mobilize other countries to meet their humanitarian obligations if we are not ourselves upholding our cherished democratic values and firmly rejecting Trump's nativist rhetoric and actions. Biden embraces the core values that have made us who we are and will prioritize restoring refugee admissions in line with our historic practice under both Democratic and Republican Administrations. He will set the annual global refugee admissions cap to 125,000, and seek to raise it over time commensurate with our responsibility, our values, and the unprecedented global need.

However, Biden is on track to accept the fewest number of refugees this year of any modern president, including Trump, according to a report from the International Rescue Committee.

"Over the first half of this fiscal year, the precipitous downward trajectory of refugee admissions seen under the Trump administration endures," the IRC said. "If the current pace of admissions continues – and if the Trump administration's admissions policies remain in place – the Biden administration will admit an estimated 4,510 refugees in FY21, less than half of the last year of the Trump administration and fewer than any President in history."

In February, Biden's State Department issued a report to Congress proposing to increase the cap to 62,500 for the current fiscal year, according to CBS News.

Democrats wrote a letter to Biden earlier this month demanding that he act and raise the refugee cap.

"Having fought for four years against the Trump Administration's full-scale assault on refugee resettlement in the United States, we were relieved to see you commit to increasing our refugee resettlement numbers so early in your Administration," Democratic lawmakers wrote. "But until the Emergency Presidential Determination is finalized, our refugee policy remains unacceptably draconian and discriminatory."

Despite his campaign promise, the State Department's recommendation, and a plea from fellow Democrats, Biden will continue with Trump's refugee cap number of 15,000.

Prominent Democrats were enraged by the Biden administration's decision to continue Trump's refugee cap.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "Completely and utterly unacceptable. Biden promised to welcome immigrants, and people voted for him based on that promise. Upholding the xenophobic and racist policies of the Trump admin, incl the historically low + plummeted refugee cap, is flat out wrong. Keep your promise."

Rep. Ilhan Omar: "As a refugee, I know finding a home is a matter of life or death for children around the world. It is shameful that @POTUS is reneging on a key promise to welcome refugees, moments after @RepSchakowsky@RepJayapal, myself and others called on him to increase the refugee cap."

Joaquin Castro: "I strongly disagree with the Biden administration's decision to maintain Trump's historically low refugee policy. Raising the refugee resettlement cap is vital for American global leadership and to restore the soul of our nation. I urge the President to keep his promise."

Rep. Joe Neguse: "America has long been a beacon of hope to refugees around the world, including my family. As a son of refugees & Co-Chair of the Congressional Refugee Caucus, proud to join @RepJayapal @Ilhan and @janschakowsky in imploring the Biden administration to honor our nation's values."

Rep Pramila Jayapal: "It is simply unacceptable and unconscionable that the Biden Administration is not immediately repealing Donald Trump's harmful, xenophobic, and racist refugee cap that cruelly restricts refugee admissions to a historically low level."

Rep Pramila Jayapal: “It is simply unacceptable and unconscionable that the Biden Administration is not immediately… https://t.co/eqMKSX5moN
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche Alcindor)1618597720.0

There were swift reactions by press members, included Washington Post White House reporter Seung Min Kim, who wrote on Twitter, "One thing to remember is that the 62,500 refugee figure Biden pledged was already a prorated figure for a fiscal year that was half over. An apples-to-apples comparison is that Biden pledged 125,000 refugees and decided to stick with 15,000. Quite the stunning drop."

Julie Davis, congressional editor at the New York Times, showed the similarities of the rationale of Biden and Trump on their refugee cap decisions.

Biden's team is using the same rationale to justify a historically low refugee cap as Trump's did, pointing to the… https://t.co/etRjy88vnH
— Julie Davis (@Julie Davis)1618598876.0

The Atlantic writer Adam Serwer tweeted, "Biden maintaining Stephen Miller's refugee policy is not something anyone should defend. It's a disgrace."

Axios reporter Jonathan Swan reacted by saying, "Biden keeps the Trump / Stephen Miller refugee cap. Genuinely curious to hear Biden allies explain how what was 'racist' and 'cruel' under Trump is now enlightened and humane."

Stephen Miller, who spearheaded the Trump administration's immigration policy, chimed in, "Thoughts on this announcement: 1. This reflects Team Biden's awareness that the border flood will cause record midterm losses *if* GOP keeps issue front & center 2. Staggering # being released at border DWARF # saved by not raising cap 3. Refugee cap should be reduced to ZERO*."

Biden Breaks Promise To Increase Refugee Admissions, Keeps Quotas Kamala Harris Condemned Under Trump

President Joe Biden announced Friday his administration would be keeping in place the refugee cap implemented under his Republican predecessor at 15,000 people. This breaks with Read More

Biden signs order, will raise yearly cap on refugees to 125,000 — more than 8 times as many as under Trump



President Joe Biden announced plans on Thursday to raise the yearly cap on refugees accepted into the country to 125,000 — more than eight times the number accepted last year under President Trump.

Biden made the announcement alongside issuing an executive order intended to rebuild and enhance the nation's refugee resettlement program, which he argued was left in tatters by the previous administration.

"Today, I'm approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need," he said. "It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged, but that's precisely what we're going to do."

"This executive order will position us to be able to raise the refugee admissions back up to 125,000 persons for the first full fiscal year of the Biden-Harris administration," he added.

Under President Trump in fiscal year 2020, the cap on yearly refugee admissions was 15,000.

President Joe Biden: "I'm approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions p… https://t.co/ZMO8IgZyBY
— The Hill (@The Hill)1612470638.0

The order is just the latest in a string of recent initiatives related to immigration pushed by the new administration. Since assuming the presidency, Biden has made it a priority to reverse course from Trump, who during his four years in office sought to serve America's interests by reining in the open-door immigration policy embraced by modern Democrat politicians.

Last June, on World Refugee Day, Biden released a statement condemning Trump's stance on immigration, saying, "Fear-mongering, xenophobia, and racism are the unabashed tenets of Trump's refugee and immigration policy."

Then in November, Biden declared, "It is not enough to simply reverse or dismantle the heartless policies of the Trump administration," adding, "We need to look for ways to do better."

According to a report from the United Nations refugee agency, only approximately 23,000 refugees were accepted across the globe last year despite there being "an estimated 1.44 million refugees in urgent need of resettlement." More than half of the refugees accepted were admitted by the United States, according to the State Department. Nevertheless, Trump has continually been criticized by the left for restricting admission in recent years.

It should be noted that according to an analysis published by the Center for Immigration Studies last year, the average refugee costs U.S. taxpayers between $60,000 and $133,000 over the course of the refugee's life.