Advocates Welcome Biden’s Expansion of Refugee Admissions as First Step in Undoing Trump’s Legacy

New York, NY-Today, President Joe Biden announced that the US will raise the cap on refugee admissions to 125,000 in 2021. The proposal is a stark departure from President Trump’s policies, which drastically cut admissions from 110,000 in 2016 to 15,000 in the current fiscal year. Immigrant advocates in New York welcomed the news citing the key role refugees have played in revitalizing upstate communities by reversing population decline, stabilizing neighborhoods, and filling critical workforce needs. 

Murad Awawdeh and Rovika Rajkishun, Interim Co-Executive Directors of the New York Immigration Coalition:

“We applaud President Biden for taking a crucial first step in reversing his predecessor’s ugly and counterproductive gutting of America’s refugee system. Across the state and, especially, in Western, Central New York, the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and Long Island, we have seen refugees inject new life into cities and counties that have struggled with an economic downturn for decades. But for four years, Trump’s single-minded and racist attacks on immigrants blinded him to both the social, cultural, and economic benefits of refugees and our humanitarian obligations to those seeking safety from violence and persecution. Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a long project to renew America's moral standing and its reputation as a welcoming nation for all.”