Biden Administration Expands Refugee Acceptance from Latin America

President Joe Biden’s administration plans to increase the number of refugees allowed from Latin America and the Caribbean amidst a growing migrant crisis at the southern border, according to CNN.

The State Department has proposed admitting between 35,000 to 50,000 refugees from Latin America/the Caribbean in fiscal year 2024, as stated in a draft report obtained by CNN. This is an increase from the 15,000 admitted in fiscal year 2023.

The proposed changes aim to provide migrants with a legal pathway to enter the country without overwhelming the U.S.-Mexico border.

The draft report also suggests reducing refugee allocations for Europe and Central Asia from 15,000 to between 2,000 and 3,000, as reported by CNN.

The overall proposed refugee admissions cap for the U.S. in fiscal year 2024 is 125,000.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently released record-breaking statistics for August, with 232,972 encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

This figure represents a monthly high for the calendar year and the highest number for the month of August on record.

The Biden administration aims to strengthen the refugee admissions program after then-President Donald Trump reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. Additionally, resettlements were temporarily suspended during the COVID pandemic.

In a statement on World Refugee Day this year, Biden said, “Welcoming refugees is part of who we are as Americans – our nation was founded by those fleeing religious persecution. When we take action to help refugees around the world, and include them, we honor this past and are stronger for it,” as mentioned in a June 20 statement.

A consultation with Congress is required before the end of the fiscal year on Saturday regarding the 2024 refugee cap.

CNN reports that senior administration officials are expected to meet with lawmakers this week.

According to the latest federal data, as of August 31, 51,231 refugees were admitted to the U.S. in fiscal year 2023. While this falls short of the 125,000 ceiling, it is more than double the admissions for all of fiscal year 2022, as reported by CNN.

The administration has been working to address bottlenecks in the system and streamline the admissions process. It has also implemented a program that allows private citizens to sponsor international refugees.

“This coming fiscal year feels like a transition from an aspirational target to a realistic expectation,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, in an interview with CNN.

The Biden administration is also collaborating with international organizations to establish processing centers in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala that will play a role in referring migrants with protection needs.

Furthermore, Mexico will process Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans eligible for the P2 designation, which applies to “groups of special concern designated by the Department of State as having access to the program by virtue of their circumstances and apparent need for resettlement,” as explained by CNN.