U.S. hits 50,000 refugee cap, but some others still allowed in

WASHINGTON — The U.S. has reached the Trump administration’s limit of 50,000 refugees for this budget year. That won’t stop some additional refugees from entering the United States in the next few months, but they will now face tighter standards.

A Supreme Court order last month said the administration must admit refugees beyond the 50,000 cap if they can prove a “bona fide relationship” with a person or entity in the United States. That was part of a broader ruling that allowed President Donald Trump to partially administer his contested travel ban affecting six Muslim majority countries.

As of Wednesday, 50,086 refugees have been admitted since the budget year began last October. All have had to undergo a strict screening process. Additional refugees will face the same screening, but will also need to prove they have a close relative living in the U.S., a job awaiting them or admission to a college or university.

The additional requirements are supposed to be in place for 120 days, while the government examines security and screening procedures that Trump suggested aren’t stringent enough.

But a new, unspecified cap will take effect before then, when the new budget year begins in October, and everything is subject to change after the Supreme Court hears arguments on the travel and refugee bans that month.

Trump set the refugee limit as part of the broader executive order that sought to keep out foreigners from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen.