On Monday, the Biden Administration informed Congress that it hopes to welcome 125,000 refugees in fiscal year 2022, furthering their political mission of admitting as many foreign nationals as possible in the U.S., regardless of existing law, public opinion, or the national interest.
The decision comes as the migrant crisis at the southern border continues to worsen, the U.S. continues to struggle with the mass of new Afghan evacuees (most lacking any form of identification), and a new mass of over ten thousand Haitian migrants no accumulate in makeshift slums under an international bridge in Texas.
According to the Washington Times, “The 125,000 figure is a ceiling, not a target, and the administration may fall short of it, as it will this year.” Nevertheless, ‘immigrant-rights advocates’ applauded the symbolism of the announcement, calling it important.
“Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our time, I know the Biden administration is working to restore the United States’ longstanding bipartisan tradition of providing safety to the world’s most vulnerable refugees — including Afghan refugees,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Washington Times adds, “Mr. Biden envisions 40,000 refugees from Africa, 35,000 from the Near East and South Asia, 15,000 from East Asia, 10,000 from Europe and Central Asia, and 15,000 from Latin America and the Caribbean.”
During the last full fiscal year of the Trump Administration, Fiscal Year 2020, the federal government set a target of 18,000 refugees and admitted just under 12,000. However, President Trump had set the ceiling for Fiscal Year 2021 at 15,000 - Biden immediately disregarded that ceiling and replaced it with 62,500, admitting reaching that number this year would be impossible.
“Setting the admissions goal is only step one. The administration should immediately invest in rebuilding a robust refugee resettlement program,” said Erol Kekic, senior vice president of Church World Service.
Church World Service has called on Biden to set a 200,000-refugee cap, citing the needs of third world countries while blissfully ignoring the impact such a terrible policy decision would have on Americans in need.
For more on this story, please visit the Washington Times.
