By Cheasty Anderson and Marianna Montes Moreno
This week President Biden finally walked back his decision to keep in place Trump’s refugee cap of 15,000 and instead bowed to pressure from advocates to increase the refugee resettlement ceiling to 62,500 for the current fiscal year. This decision is the result of weeks of significant backlash, a barrage of criticism from refugee groups and human rights activists, and bipartisan blowback for his delay in replacing the record-low ceiling.
This is a good reminder that passionate advocacy can change policy. The most important resources that we have as advocates are passion, dedication, and persistence. We must persevere because of our commitment to human rights and the immigrant community.
As advocates, we must persist. We cannot get comfortable, and we must pressure the Biden administration to keep his promise to build a “fair and humane” immigration system.
Resources:
- Rodriguez, Sabrina. “Biden Promised a ‘Fair and Humane’ Immigration Overhaul. What He Inherited Is a Mess.” POLITICO, Feb. 26, 2021.
- Rubin, Jennifer. “Opinion | After a Bobble, the White House Gets It Right on the Refugee Cap.” The Washington Post, May 4, 2021.
- The New York Times.“Biden Reverses Course Again After Backlash and Will Increase Refugee Limit.”, Updated May 3, 2021.
- Toosi, Nahal, and Laura Barrón-López. “Advocates Urge White House to Fill Key Refugee Role as Biden Weighs Admissions Target.” POLITICO, Apr. 28, 2021.