“The Trump administration’s decision to further reduce the target for refugee admissions in 2019 from 45,000 to 30,000 is a slap in the face to the numerous far poorer countries around the world, who are doing more than their fair share of hosting and caring for refugees. It makes a mockery of the administration’s constant rhetoric about burden sharing in the face of international crises.
“The newly reduced number accepts the ugly reality of the US’s unwillingness to live up to its historic commitments as a haven for vulnerable refugees. Even this year the administration will fall far short of its target of 45,000 - it is unlikely to reach even 30,000, having admitted only 20,000 through August with one month left in the fiscal year. Especially shocking are the low numbers of Syrians admitted - fewer than 100 - despite the brutal conflict and terror that the Syrian people continue to experience.
“If the nativists around President Trump keep winning, bi-partisan tradition and global commitments are damned. Until the administration pays a political cost for these cruel and inhumane decisions, nothing will change.”
