US proposes drastic cut to refugee resettlement program

The plan will slash the number of refugees let into the county by nearly half

i24NEWS - AFP
i24NEWS - AFP
1 min read
1 min read
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Central American migrants -- mostly from Honduras -- line up for food outside a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, near the US-Mexico border fence
Central American migrants -- mostly from Honduras -- line up for food outside a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, near the US-Mexico border fenceAFP / Pedro PARDO

The Trump administration plans to drastically lower the ceiling of a decades-old refugee resettlement program to 18,000 people from its current level of 30,000, the State Department said Thursday, citing a "crisis" along the US' southern border. 

"This refugee admissions proposal reaffirms America's enduring commitment to assist the world's displaced people, while fulfilling our first duty to protect and serve the American people," the State Department said in a statement.  

It represents a reduction of 40 percent from its current level of 30,000 people, already a record low, threatening America's historic position as the most generous destination for those fleeing war and persecution.

"A responsible approach to refugees is one that seeks the eventual return of refugees to their home countries so that they can help to rebuild their own nations," President Donald Trump in a statement announcing the move.

It added that under a new order, refugees would only be resettled in jurisdictions where state and local authorities consent.

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