Washington, D.C. — Late last night, the Trump administration announced that it will set the Presidential Determination—the target for refugee admissions for fiscal year 2021—at only 15,000, the lowest since the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980 and even lower than last year’s dismal target of 18,000. In response, Philip E. Wolgin, managing director of Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
At a time when the number of forcibly displaced persons worldwide is at an all-time high, the Trump administration has once again shown that it is incapable of showing even a shred of national or international leadership. Setting the Presidential Determination for refugee arrivals at only 15,000—lower than last year’s abysmally low target, which the Trump administration did not even meet—makes a mockery of our nation’s great history as a beacon of freedom for those fleeing persecution. For an administration that pays lip service to the rule of law—even as they continually and routinely break it—the fact that they refused to consult with Congress on the Presidential Determination, as they are legally required to do, illustrates the utter lawlessness of the president and his administration. The next administration must immediately reverse this decision and return America back to its bipartisan place as a leader in refugee resettlement.
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