On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended President Biden’s support of Trump’s administration’s decision to grant refugees entry to the refugees following an uproar by Democratic lawmakers.
Trump’s annual 15,000 cap was maintained just hours after Biden signed an executive order on Friday, sparking resentment from Dame Poles, the president retaliated – and the White House later said a new one would come next month The limit will be announced.
“Look, the president is clear about where he wants to go, but we have to be, you know, we focus on what we’re doing when we’re able to do it,” Blinken said ABC News’ “This Week.”
The current 15,000 cap upset Democrats and immigration advocates, who expected the Biden administration to follow a resolution sent to Congress earlier this year calling for 62,500 refugee admissions for this fiscal year. The cap was to be increased to 125,000 in the financial year 2022 under the plan.
“We’re able to bring in people who are in the pipeline and who weren’t able to come in. It’s starting today, and we’re going to start it again in mid-May,” Blinken said . .
White House press secretary Jane Saki blamed the “decimate” refugee admissions program inherited from the Trump administration and burdened the Office of Refugee Resettlement to make that 62,500 goal “impossible”.
Blinken echoed those sentiments on Sunday.
“Based on what we have seen now in terms of heritage and what it was, it is able to focus on what we can do, how quickly we can implement it, it is very difficult to accomplish. The number will be 62,000 this financial year, “he said,” we’re going to revisit this in the coming weeks. “
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday that Biden would raise the refugee cap, but would not say how high.
“He is fully committed to ensuring that America is not only welcoming refugees. .. but also that we raise the cap. He is committed to that, and we are following through on that, ”said Sullivan. “Fox News Sunday.”
Sullivan said Biden’s first step was to end Trump-era policies banning refugees coming from parts of Africa and the Middle East, and the cap decision comes in a “second phase”.
“He took the first step on the move last week, he will take the second step in weeks,” Sullivan said.
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