FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2020
PRESS CONTACT
Henrike Dessaules
hdessaules@refugeerights.org
516-838-1269
IRAP WELCOMES BIDEN PROPOSAL TO INCREASE REFUGEE ADMISSIONS
(New York, NY) On World Refugee Day, June 20, Presidential candidate and former Vice-President Joe Biden committed to increasing refugee resettlement in the United States, by setting an annual global refugee admissions target of 125,000 and working with Congress to establish a minimum admissions number of at least 95,000 refugees annually. He also promised to repeal the Muslim ban and restore the asylum program. Biden was a co-sponsor of the original Refugee Act of 1980, a bi-partisan bill that outlines the U.S. commitment to refugee protection.
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) welcomes this proposal, which echoes the Refugee Protection Act of 2019, currently pending a vote in the House of Representatives, as well as many of IRAP’s “Recommendations for the President to Restore and Improve Protection for Refugees and Displaced People.” At the same time, IRAP urges both Presidential candidates to not only restore previous levels of protections for refugees and asylum seekers, but actively seek to improve the systems that have been plagued with delays and injustices for many years.
“We are pleased to see a candidate committing to protecting refugee resettlement in the United States,” said Nisha Agarwal, IRAP’s Deputy Executive Director. “The resettlement program has taken a devastating hit and will need to be rebuilt as soon as possible. Making refugee admissions a priority will facilitate this renewal. However, returning to the status quo cannot be the only commitment. We are looking forward to working with an administration that will be proactive about protecting the rights of immigrants and refugees and reaffirm our nation’s commitment to being a safe haven for those in need.”
To view the press release, click here.