Biden Administration Upkeeps Refugee Target Amid Election Tensions

The Biden administration plans to maintain its annual refugee acceptance target at 125,000 for the upcoming year. In 2024, they aim to admit 100,000 refugees, the highest level seen in three decades. Immigration remains a pivotal issue as Kamala Harris faces Donald Trump in the November elections.

President Joe Biden's administration intends to sustain its ambitious target of accepting 125,000 refugees in the next fiscal year, according to an internal report viewed by Reuters. This indicates the refugee intake surge will persist if Vice President Kamala Harris secures the White House.

The administration is projected to admit 100,000 refugees under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program by the end of fiscal year 2024 on September 30. Should this target be met, it would represent the highest intake in three decades. With elections approaching on November 5, immigration has emerged as a critical concern for voters, pitting Harris against Republican Donald Trump, whose presidency saw a dramatic reduction in refugee admissions and a pledge to tighten immigration if reelected.

Requests for comments from the State Department, the White House, the Harris campaign, and the Trump campaign went unanswered. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program assists individuals facing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, or political opinion and requires applicants to be outside the U.S. to qualify. Despite previous years' challenges, Biden's administration has aimed for 125,000 admissions since fiscal year 2022 and has recently increased intakes from Latin America amid rising displacement levels in the region.

Figures show that more than 16,000 refugees from Latin America and the Caribbean have been admitted to the U.S. between October 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024. The report to lawmakers highlighted that the refugee plan builds on America's longstanding tradition of welcoming those fleeing persecution.

(With inputs from agencies.)