On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it will continue to decrease the number of refugees admitted to the U.S.
Since taking office, President Trump has decreased the number of refugees admitted in the US by over 80%. For the 2021 fiscal year, the Trump administration plans to slash the number of admitted refugees to 15,000. That’s 3,000 fewer than the limit set for 2020, making the number a record low.
A State Department press release said the move, "reflects the Administration’s continuing commitment to prioritize the safety and well-being of Americans."
Director of the Idaho Office for Refugees Tara Wolfson said that Idaho communities rely on people with refugee backgrounds, who are everything from doctors to business owners to farm workers. And the cuts mean many refugee families may not be reunited.
“Anybody who has a brother or sister or mother or daughter can only imagine what that could feel like or be like,” Wolfson said.
According to Wolfson, Idaho took in 196 refugees this year. That’s down from the average of 800 to 1,200 since Idaho’s resettlement program began in 1975.
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