The United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) accepts referrals for refugees who have been deemed to be especially at risk and in need of the security offered by third-country resettlement. President Joe Biden has recently announced that he will be maintaining the nation’s cap on refugee admissions at 125,000 for the 2023 budget year, even though many advocates have pressured to raise this number even higher in order to meet the demand as a result of falling short in 2022. These refugee advocates have been pushing for the Biden administration to work harder in restoring the United States Refugee Admissions Program due to the deep cuts it has previously suffered under former president Trump’s Administration.
In his presidential determination, president Joe Biden has stated, “The 125,000 target is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.” He compares this number to the historical average of around 95,000 under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
Moreover, President Biden designated a certain number of slots for refugees from different nations. For example, he increased the number of slots by 5,000 more than last year for refugees from Europe and Central Asia in order to accommodate those fleeing the war in Ukraine, setting the number at 15,000 slots each for refugees from Europe, East Asia, and Latin America. Additionally, he set aside 40,000 slots for refugees from Africa, and 35,000 slots for refugees from South Asia.
