At the beginning of May 2021, the United States President officially announced that for the current fiscal year, which runs until the end of September 2021, his Administration would have raised the US refugee admissions cap to 62,500. While such a statement was truly welcomed by refugee advocates and NGOs, the presidential plan is likely to remain unrealized.
According to the US system, every year, the President of the United States is expected to send a report to the Congress indicating the proposed number of refugees to admit in the US during the next fiscal year and providing the list of the emergency circumstances determining the categories of people and the nationalities eligible to enter the American territory. During the previous Administration, the number of refugee admissions – around 15,000 individuals – was dramatically low. For this reason, the White House has recently decided to strengthen the current US capacity to admit refugees.
According to the new policy, the admissions cap for the current fiscal year will be greatly increased. Around 22,000 spots are reserved for refugees coming from Africa; approximately 19,000 are instead for people from East and South Asia; about 5,000 spots are available for men and women from Latin America and Caribbean countries; 4,000 for refugees from Europe and Central Asia. Finally, another 12,500 spots remain unallocated.
Even though these numbers appear impressive, they must be compared with reality. Over time, thousands of people have been victims of the US anti-refugee policies, and hundreds of families have been forced to delay their reunification. Furthermore, the current pandemic restrictions have made it practically impossible for refugees to enter the country. Until today, just over 2,000 refugees have been resettled in the United States. As a consequence, it is clear that the goal of 62,500 admissions is likely to remain unfulfilled. Statements must be followed by facts; otherwise, they remain just words.
By Simone M. Russo