While President Biden made mention of immigration reform in his first address to Congress this week, the fate of refugees was conspicuously absent. After weeks of whiplash for refugees and their advocates, we’re still waiting for clarity on a path forward.
On April 16, President Biden announced he would maintain the limit on the number of refugees annually admitted to the country at 15,000, the lowest level in history, initially set by President Trump. The announcement reversed a key campaign promise, and was a violation of Biden’s commitment to refugees.
As advocates for those who are seeking refuge from persecution, we were deeply disappointed. HIAS and our allies pushed back, calling out Biden’s broken promises.