By LSSNCA Advocacy Associate, John Murphy
Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021
This morning, the White House released the Presidential Determination for Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021. While the Administration transmitted the report containing the 15,000 cap on September 30th it did not “consult” with members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees regarding the determination until October 20th. While this means refugees can once again begin travelling into the U.S., this means we continue a decline in refugee admittance.
Under the Refugee Act of 1980 the President must consult with, and formally transmit to the committees of the Presidential Determination by October 1st the beginning of the fiscal year. This is the second year in a row that the Administration has missed the deadline. The proposed 15,000 cap is the lowest level since 1980. It has averaged 95,000 annually, an amount supported by LSSNCA and other advocates.
We urge the President and our elected leaders to return to a welcoming America, where those fleeing war and persecution can find refuge and success. You can help by urging your elected leaders to hold the President accountable to even this low refugee ceiling, by sharing positive stories of refugee and immigrant successes, by volunteering with us to help the transition of a newly-arrived refugee family, and by continuing to WELCOME BOLDLY!
Share with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter why you support refugee resettlement using the hashtag #WelcomeBoldly.
A Reported 545 Immigrant Children Remain Separated from their Families
According to an October 20th court filing by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Administration has acknowledged it cannot find the parents of 545 immigrant children who were separated from their parents under a pilot program in operation since 2017 at the southern U.S. border. Most of the parents of these children have been deported to Central America because they entered the U.S. illegally. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said that many of the families did not want the children reunited with them in their country of origin.
U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Two Immigration Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two immigration cases this term. The first, Trump v. Sierra Club, would decide on the legality of President’ emergency declaration that allowed him to divert $3.6 billion previously appropriated funds from military construction projects to build his wall along the southern border. The second, Wolf v. Innovation Lab will determine whether the Administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols requiring asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico while they’re asylum claims are adjudicated. Lower courts have ruled against the Administration actions in both cases.
For more information on how you can directly serve refugees and immigrants in your community, visit LSSNCA.org to learn more about our volunteer opportunities.
Serve Boldly 