US President Donald Trump is planning to cut refugee admissions by 3,000 to 15,000 in 2021, submitting his proposal to Congress less than an hour before the deadline for the fiscal year's figure was to expire, the administration announced late Wednesday.
The 40-year-old resettlement program has been dwindling under his administration and the 2021 figure will continue to shrink it. The 2021 figure is a 16% reduction over 2020's admissions.
The 1980 Refugee Act requires presidents to issue their determination by Oct. 1 for the next fiscal year. The president also must consult with Congress before making his determination, though ultimately it is up to him.
Trump froze refugee admissions in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, citing a need to protect US jobs as fallout from the coronavirus crashed the economy.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration is committed to the country's history of leading the world in providing a safe place for refugees, The Associated Press reported.
“We continue to be the single greatest contributor to the relief of humanitarian crisis all around the world, and we will continue to do so," Pompeo told reporters in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on religious freedom organized by the US Embassy.
“Certainly so long as President Trump is in office, I can promise you this administration is deeply committed to that.”
The US allowed in just over 10,800 refugees — a little more than half of the 18,000 cap set by Trump for 2020 — before the State Department suspended the program because of the coronavirus.
The 18,000 cap was already the lowest in the history of the program. In addition, the State Department announced last week that it would no longer provide some statistical information on refugee resettlement, sparking more concerns.
