Biden wavers on restricting refugee entry

The White House announced Friday that President Joe Biden would limit the number of refugees allowed into the United States this year to the historically low level set by the Trump administration, reversing a promise to welcome more than 60,000 people fleeing war and persecution.

But the move to cap the number at 15,000 prompted such an immediate backlash from Democrats and human rights activists that the White House later retreated and promised to announce a final, increased number by May 15.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not specify how many refugees would be allowed into the country, but she did say that Biden’s initial goal of welcoming 62,500 seemed “unlikely.”

The wavering showed the Biden administration’s struggle to find its footing as it tries to reverse President Donald Trump’s harsh immigration policies amid a record surge of children and teenagers crossing the southwestern border.

“This Biden administration refugee admissions target is unacceptable,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our time, there is no reason to limit the number to 15,000. Say it ain’t so, President Joe.”

Unauthorized migrants crossing the border are processed differently from refugees, who are fully vetted and approved for resettlement before arriving. But Biden was concerned that lifting the Trump-era cap on refugees would overwhelm the strapped system, according to two senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss decision-making.

Still, the Biden administration had been promising for months to raise the cap. Secretary of State Antony Blinken notified Congress on Feb. 12 that the administration planned to allow up to 62,500 refugees to enter the United States in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, citing “grave humanitarian concerns” around the world.

But Biden for two months did not sign a presidential determination that would have allowed refugees to board flights to the U.S.

Maintaining the Trumpera admissions level of 15,000 leaves thousands of refugees stranded in camps in places like Kenya, Tanzania and Jordan.

Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief, said “the walk back” from Biden to raise the cap “doesn’t change the reality” that for now, the historically low cap remains in place.

Petros Karadjias, Associated Press file A migrant stands behind a fence inside a refugee camp in February near Nicosia, Cyprus. President Joe Biden on Friday stuck with his predecessor’s historically low cap of 15,000 refugees for this year, which drew a quick backlash and a retreat by the administration.