Breitbart News reports the Obama Administration resettled an average of 411 refugees each day since October 1st, the beginning of Fiscal Year 2017. By comparison, during the first five days of FY16, only 65 refugees were resettled. If this pace continues, the United States would resettle more than 150,000 refugees in FY17.
The report, which cites data the Department of State’s interactive website, says that level of intake would “almost double the 84,995 resettled in FY 2016." The Obama Administration proposed resettling 110,000 refugees in FY 2017.
Commenting on the numbers, Ann Corcoran of Refugee Resettlement Watch told Breitbart, “The October average is traditionally the lowest resettlement month of the year…They build in August and September because they are usually desperate to hit their fiscal year ceiling by then. So to have this extraordinarily high rate this October, it confirms our greatest fear that President Obama will pour as many refugees as he can before he leaves office…This explains why the State Department is on a quiet mission to open as many new resettlement sites in the country as they can.”
Congress has not addressed Obama’s resettlement proposal, or passed a full year’s budget for FY17, but the Administration has enough funding under the Continuing Resolution to jump start the process and resettle refugees at an accelerated rate.
Plus, the Administration and a group of refugee advocates are trying to establish an "adopt-a-refugee" program that would allow American citizens and perhaps other entities to pay for refugee resettlement. If it becomes a reality, it would circumvent Congress’ ability to limit resettlement through the appropriations process.
Read more in Breitbart News.
