The Slatest

Number of Refugees Entering U.S. Could Almost Double After Restrictions Nixed

A family member sheds tears of joy as she greets Dahaba Matan (L), a refugee from Somalia, at the airport in Boise, Idaho on March 10, 2017.

REUTERS/Brian Losness

The number of refugees admitted into the United States could see a sharp increase soon, following a steep decline during President Donald Trump’s presidency. In an email to agencies, the State Department said the quota for refugee arrivals is set to increase from around 900 per week to 1,500.

Although the timing is suspicious, officials say the lifting of restrictions had nothing to do with the federal appeals court ruling that upheld a block on Trump’s Muslim ban. Instead, the restrictions were really due to “budget constraints imposed by Congress in a temporary spending measure passed last fall,” reports the New York Times.

Refugee advocates say that if things start moving quickly the total number of refugees admitted in the United States by Sept. 30, which is the end of the fiscal year, could be higher than 70,000. Although that would still be lower than the 84,944 refugees admitted last year it would be higher than the 50,000 cap that Trump said he wanted to impose on refugee arrivals.

Refugee advocates are also concerned about what will happen next year considering how much of the long vetting process has come to a virtual standstill. The Los Angeles Times explains:

Experts are also concerned about the near-complete halt in interviews and screenings by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, which is required for refugees to complete the application process.

“Only people with urgent cases are being screened and interviewed,” [Erol] Kekic, [executive director of the immigration and refugee program at Church World Service] said. “Unless we continue to add people to the pipeline, we aren’t certain if we will be able to even meet the level of 50,000 refugees entering the U.S. for fiscal year 2018.”