US announces sharp cut in refugee intake for 2019

September 18, 2018 08:20

The Trump administration has decided to take only 30,000 refugees next year in the country, slashing the intake from 45,000 in 2018.

"The United States anticipates up to 310,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Fiscal 2019. We propose resettling up to 30,000 refugees under the new ceiling," the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State department.

The US also anticipate processing applications of "more than 280,000 asylum seekers," he said.

They will join over 800,000 asylum seekers who are already inside the US and are awaiting adjudication of their claims, he said, asserting that these figures testify to America's "longstanding record of the most generous nation in the world when it comes to protection-based immigration and assistance."

Wary that the decision to cap refugees intake may face criticism, Pompeo said the ceiling on the refugees number should not be viewed in isolation from other expansive humanitarian programs.

"Some will characterise the refugee ceiling as the sole barometer of America's commitment to vulnerable people around the world. This would be wrong," he said.

"Other countries, when noting their humanitarian protection efforts, highlight their assistance to both refugees and asylees. The United States should do the same," he said.

This year's refugee ceiling reflects the substantial increase in the number of individuals seeking asylum in US, leading to a massive backlog of outstanding asylum cases and greater public expense. -- PTI

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