After plans to dramatically increase the refugee cap, Biden has reversed course and decided to keep it at the levels Trump had them:
NEW: Biden will sign an order today to keep the number of refugee admissions this year at the historically low figure set by the Trump administration, walking back a campaign promise to raise the cap, a senior administration official confirmed to Axios. https://t.co/w9VxFHxcPC
— Axios (@axios) April 16, 2021
NEW: Biden is keeping the refugee cap at 15,000 with following allocations, per @Jordanfabian:
Africa 7,000
East Asia 1,000
Europe & Central Asia 1,500
LatAm/Caribbean 3,000
Near East/South Asia 1,500
Unallocated Reserve 1,000— Sophia Cai (@SophiaCai99) April 16, 2021
Over two months ago, it was announced that Biden would increase it to 125k:
JUST NOW: President Biden is raising the US annual refugee cap to 125,000, a dramatic increase from the historic low of 15,000 set by the previous admin for this year. Pres Obama had set a refugee ceiling of 110,000 for FY17 but Pres Trump slashed it to 50,000 upon taking office.
— Abigail Williams (@Abs_NBC) February 4, 2021
This is quite the reversal. Jonathan Swan with Axios wonders how Biden’s allies will explain this one away:
Biden keeps the Trump / Stephen Miller refugee cap. Genuinely curious to hear Biden allies explain how what was “racist” and “cruel” under Trump is now enlightened and humane. https://t.co/1kRFNqbiqg
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) April 16, 2021
As I said in my title, this has infuriated the left. Check out some of these responses from prominent Democrats:
Completely and utterly unacceptable. Biden promised to welcome immigrants, and people voted for him based on that promise.
Upholding the xenophobic and racist policies of the Trump admin, incl the historically low + plummeted refugee cap, is flat out wrong.
Keep your promise. https://t.co/A82xYf1XpR
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 16, 2021
This is a moral abomination. The Biden administration is turning its back on people in dire need of help which the U.S. could easily provide, and they're going to get absolutely nothing good out of it. Truly a disgrace. https://t.co/O6foGIZCq4
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) April 16, 2021
Unacceptable and unconscionable.
Each day that passes without signing the Emergency Presidential Determination is another day of signing off on Trump’s cruel policies. President Biden must raise the cap, restore regional allocations, & resume resettlement based on vulnerability. https://t.co/HmQqSwNKGu
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) April 16, 2021
I strongly disagree with the Biden administration’s decision to maintain Trump’s historically low refugee policy.
Raising the refugee resettlement cap is vital for American global leadership and to restore the soul of our nation.⁰
I urge the President to keep his promise. https://t.co/DO24gKIyRh— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) April 16, 2021
There is simply no excuse not to raise Trump's disgracefully low refugee cap.
This is more than just a shameful broken promise. Inaction will have real, harmful consequences for the thousands of people desperately seeking safety.
Biden must raise the cap. Immediately. https://t.co/eyvNcgsWW3
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) April 16, 2021
Bad. On other things Biden has been standing tall and also standing for decency. Not here https://t.co/944e6I9UWj
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) April 16, 2021
And the list goes on and on. Don’t be surprised if Biden reverses course again in the face of such outrage. He is a very weak president.