Dear John,

President Biden promised to immediately increase the number of refugees allowed to resettle into the United States. He has not yet done that. Midway through the 2021 fiscal year, only 2,050 refugees have been admitted to the United States, a new historical low.

Call President Biden at the White House comment line: 202-456-1111. Urge him to keep his promise and act NOW to protect and welcome refugees.

The International Rescue Committee reports:

“While the Biden administration has taken important steps to rebuild the USRAP – issuing the President’s February Executive Order 14013, submitting a revised proposed Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for FY21, and conducting the required consultations with Congress – there has now been an unexplained and unjustified eight-week delay in issuing the revised refugee admissions policy. This delay means that highly restrictive and discriminatory Trump era policies remain firmly in place. As a result, tens of thousands of already-cleared refugees remain barred from resettlement and over 700 resettlement flights have been cancelled, leaving vulnerable refugees in uncertain limbo.”

On April 16, 2021 President Biden tried to reverse his promise, made publicly and in a message to Congress, to increase refugee admissions this year to 62,500. ILCM, along with numerous other organizations and community and political leaders, called out this action as a betrayal. The public outcry was loud and immediate, and the administration backtracked their announcement and indicated that they will release a new Presidential Determination on or before May 15.

Call President Biden at the White House comment line: 202-456-1111. Urge him to keep his promise and act NOW to protect and welcome refugees.

Suggested message: Please act today to sign the updated presidential determination for FY 2021, which would increase the refugee ceiling to 62,500. Your signature is needed to allow refugees, who have in many cases already been waiting for years or even decades, to finally find protection in the U.S.

Without your signature, these refugees risk losing everything as scheduled flights to bring them here are being cancelled. This delay is directly impacting the lives and safety of refugees around the world. Please act immediately to protect and save lives.

In solidarity,