US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said the US will slash the number of refugees it will accept for a second straight year. Up to 30,000 refugees will be allowed into the country next year, down from a cap of 45,000 this year, making it the lowest ceiling on admissions since the program began in 1980.
The 30,000 cap is the maximum number of refugees the US will admit during the fiscal year, commencing October 1. The actual number allowed in could be lower.
The announcement comes despite calls from global humanitarian groups that this year's cap of 45,000 was too low.
Amid criticism from the human rights groups, Pompeo insisted the country still remains committed to providing sanctuary to people fleeing the world's danger zones.
According to State Department records, so far this year, the US has only admitted 20,918 refugees for the fiscal year set to end in two weeks.
The ceiling was raised to 110,000 in 2017 by former US President Barack Obama. The pace however slowed dramatically after President Donald Trump took office and issued an executive order addressing refugees.
The country had welcomed nearly 85,000 refugees in 2016.
The US would process more than 280,000 asylum claims in addition to more than 800,000 already inside the country who are awaiting a resolution of their claims, Pompeo said.
"These expansive figures continue the United States' long-standing record as the most generous nation in the world when it comes to protection-based immigration and assistance," he added.
The US secretary of state cited the country’s contributions to foreign aid and other forms of humanitarian assistance and said, “this year's proposed refugee ceiling must be considered in the context of the many other forms of protection and assistance offered by the United States.”
The lower ceiling reflected commitment to aiding families forced to flee their homes by war, persecution or natural disasters, while "prioritizing the safety and well-being of the American people," Pompeo said.
Announcing the ceiling on Monday, Pompeo advocated US efforts "to end conflicts that drive displacement in the first place and to target the application of foreign aid in a smarter way."
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, there were nearly 25.4 million refugees last year, with many more people internally displaced within their home countries.
