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The Trump administration has announced plans to allow just 15,000 refugees to settle in the United States by fiscal year 2021, which began Thursday. This is another negative record in the history of the modern refugee program, which has sparked protests in human rights organizations.
The State Department said the low figure reflected the Trump administration’s intention to “prioritize the security and prosperity of the United States, especially as the new coronavirus pandemic progresses.” 
Trump, who is running for reelection on November 3, has been reducing the number of refugees who settle in the country each year since his election.
Critics have argued that the United States, led by Trump, has abandoned its traditional role of safe haven for the displaced and that reducing the number of refugees it receives undermines other international policy goals.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim rights organization in the United States, has condemned the reduction of the refugee program as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to perpetuate systemic racism and black supremacy. of the whites “.
Chris Vignarajah, president of the Lutheran Refugee and Immigrant Service, which helps refugees settle upon arrival, wrote on Twitter that the Trump administration cuts represent “a total relinquishment of our moral obligation and all that we stand for as a nation. “.
Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian service, said Trump had not delivered a speech to protect persecuted Christians around the world.
“Instead, we have seen a reduction of up to 90% in some cases in the number of refugees resettled from countries known to have been persecuted over the past four years,” Arbeiter said in a statement. “It is unforgivable.” 
The administration’s plan was announced hours after Trump demonized refugees as an unwanted burden on his country, speaking at a rally in Minnesota. He also attacked Joe Biden, who has vowed to increase the number of refugees who will be admitted to 125,000 if they are elected in November.
“Biden will turn Minnesota into a refugee camp, and he said so. They will put pressure on public resources, overcrowded schools and flood hospitals. You know. It’s already happening.” It’s a shame what they’ve done in your state. ” Trump told his supporters.
He then condemned Democratic Senator Ilan Omar, who came to the United States as a Somali refugee and now represents Minneapolis, saying, “How the hell did Minnesota pick you?” What’s your problem?
The number of refugees dropped to 18,000 in fiscal year 2020, which ended Wednesday, and only 11,814 refugees actually settled in the United States, according to the latest official figures. The reason for this was the Trump administration’s increased controls, but also the coronavirus pandemic that reduced arrivals.
Presidents of the United States usually announce the number of refugees they intend to receive about 1the October marks the beginning of the financial year. Under US law, the president must consult with Congress before reaching the annual numbers, but the decision ultimately belongs to the White House. 
The 2021 plan specifically describes the distribution. Specifically, it refers to 5,000 places for refugees who have been persecuted for their religion, 4,000 places for refugees from Iraq who have assisted the United States, and 1,000 places for refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. There are only 5,000 seats left for the others.
Last year, another 4,000 Iraqis were assigned to Iraq with ties to the United States, but only 123 were relocated by September 25, according to official figures.
The modern US refugee resettlement program was created in 1980 under refugee law. The refugee ceiling has never been this low in the four decades since it was announced in 2021. In the final year of Obama’s presidency, the cap was set at 110,000, a figure that Trump has cut in half since taking office. . authority.
Human rights advocates have said it will take years for the refugee program to recover from Trump’s cuts. Tens of thousands of refugees are waiting to be allowed to reach the United States, with their applications approved and the checks on their advanced faces.
Source: Guardian, AP, Reuters
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