According to reports, President Joe Biden’s administration plans to increase the quota of Latin American and Caribbean refugees even while the migrant issue at the southern border grows.
According to a leaked paper from the State Department, the administration proposes to take in 35,000 to 50,000 refugees from Latin America and the Caribbean in FY2024. That’s a boost from the fiscal year 2023 level of 15,000.
With the proposed reforms, migrants would have an authorized entry point into the country rather than swarming the U.S.-Mexico border. The number of refugees allotted to Europe and Central Asia was reduced in the draft report from 15,000. In fiscal year 2024, the number of refugees the United States will be able to accept is projected to be capped at 125,000.
Late Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that 232,972 migrants were apprehended along the U.S.-Mexico border in August.
The number of migrants in August was the greatest on record for any month of the year.
After then-President Trump reduced the number of refugees allowed to enter the U.S., the Biden administration has sought to strengthen the refugee admissions program.
Additionally, resettlements were put on hold during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Biden said in a statement commemorating World Refugee Day on June 20 that our country was formed by people seeking sanctuary from religious persecution, and welcoming refugees is intrinsic to our identity.
Before the conclusion of the fiscal year on Saturday, dialogue with Congress is necessary regarding the 2024 refugee cap. High-ranking administration officials will meet with legislators this week.
As of August 31st, the United States had accepted 51,231 refugees in FY2023. CNN claimed that admissions since last October are more than triple the total for fiscal year 2022 despite falling short of the 125,000 cap.
The administration has tried to ease the system’s bottlenecks and the admissions procedure. It also launched a new initiative that enables community organizations to sponsor foreign nationals seeking asylum.
The Biden administration is working with other countries to set up centers for processing migrants who require protection. There are branches in Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica.
