"It is deeply disappointing that the administration has elected to leave in place the shameful, record-low admissions cap of its predecessor....Progress rarely comes in leaps and bounds; while we are encouraged by incremental progress towards restoring our humanitarian reputation, there is far more work ahead to reclaim global leadership."

On Friday afternoon, President Biden signed an executive order intended to speed up refugee admissions to the U.S, but that does not raise the total number of refugees allowed to resettle in the country. The current cap of just 15,000 refugee admissions was set by the Trump administration and represents an all-time low ceiling. As of April 2021, halfway through the current fiscal year, the U.S. has resettled just over 2,000 refugees.

LIRS CEO Krish O'Mara Vignarajah has issued a statement responding to the action and expressing our hope for a higher ceiling.