On World Refugee Day, A Call to Rebuild U.S. Refugee Resettlement

World Refugee Day is well known internationally on June 20 yearly. It honors the battle of refugees all over the world who’re fleeing violence and persecution and are unable to soundly return to their residence nations.

Over this previous yr, in the course of a devastating world pandemic, the variety of refugees worldwide hit an all-time excessive of over 26 million. On the similar time, the Trump administration continued its drastic discount within the variety of refugees yearly accepted into the US.

This yr’s World Refugee Day brings hope that the US will reassert itself as a humanitarian chief beneath the Biden administration. Nevertheless it additionally serves as a reminder – extra actions are wanted to undo the injury of the Trump-era and rebuild the capability of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

On the marketing campaign path, President Biden pledged to vary course dramatically by elevating the annual refugee cap to 125,000. In April, he flip-flopped on this dedication and determined to keep up Trump’s traditionally low admissions cap of 15,000. After backlash from advocacy teams and members of Congress, Biden lastly raised the cap in Might from 15,000 to 62,500. He additionally pledged to double the cap to 125,000 for fiscal yr 2022.

Regardless of these adjustments, the US is on tempo to resettle a traditionally low variety of refugees in FY 2021. As of Might 31, solely 3,250 refugees have been resettled this yr. On the present price, fewer than 5,000 refugees could be resettled in FY 2021 – decrease than any yr throughout the Trump administration.

The delay in elevating the refugee cap negatively impacted refugee resettlement. Greater than 700 refugees dealing with pressing safety dangers had their flights to the US cancelled. It additionally left resettlement companies in limbo as they waited for presidency funding to rebuild their operational capability.

Now resettlement companies are attempting to play catch up however are solely anticipated to resettle about 10 to fifteen thousand refugees in FY 2021 – effectively in need of the 62,500 refugee goal.

The Trump Administration Dismantled the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

President Trump slashed refugee admissions throughout his time in workplace. However extra considerably, he gutted the foundational capability of the complete U.S. refugee resettlement system.

Resettlement companies are paid by the federal authorities for every refugee served. Through the Trump administration, about 100 resettlement places of work have been compelled to shut on account of monetary hardships from the decrease variety of refugees admitted into the nation.

The Trump administration additionally considerably minimize the variety of U.S. refugee officers abroad. This lowered the variety of screening interviews carried out with potential refugees by one-third.

Vetting procedures have been “enhanced” to create extra limitations for refugee admission. These procedures – corresponding to requiring a refugee to submit paperwork for 10 years’ price of addresses – didn’t meaningfully enhance nationwide safety. As a substitute, they produced bureaucratic inefficiencies and additional slowed the processing of refugee candidates.

The Path Ahead for Refugee Resettlement

President Biden despatched a sign, albeit a hesitant one, by symbolically elevating the refugee cap in Might. However symbolism, within the absence of execution, will imply nothing. To ship on the promise of elevated refugee admissions and take away the stain of Trump-era insurance policies, concrete actions are wanted to strengthen the operational capability of the U.S. refugee resettlement program.

It requires hiring and coaching extra refugee officers and investing in know-how enhancements– corresponding to video conferencing capabilities in distant places – to extra effectively course of the backlog of refugee candidates. Vetting procedures that create pointless hurdles for refugee candidates should be eliminated.

As well as, refugee resettlement companies want a sustainable methodology of federal funding that doesn’t rely completely on annual swings in refugee admissions. A multi-year planning strategy, as an alternative of an annual refugee willpower, would permit companies to raised align sources and scale operations when wanted. The U.S. must also permit people to privately sponsor refugees for resettlement.

This nation has a storied historical past as a world chief in offering refuge to people fleeing persecution. It’s time to re-engage with the generosity rooted within the American spirit and welcome refugees with open arms as soon as once more. On World Refugee Day, allow us to honor refugees and acknowledge – the US has the capability and ethical obligation to do way more.

FILED UNDER: Workplace of Refugee Resettlement