This archive report was first published on 22 August 2021.
August 22, 2021, marked a significant shift in US refugee policy, as President Biden's administration faced mounting pressure to address the rising number of unauthorized crossings on the southwestern border.
Just a year prior, President Trump had drastically reduced the refugee cap to 50,000, a significant decrease from the 110,000 set by his predecessor, President Obama. The following year, the cap was further reduced to 45,000, with fewer than half of the intended refugees arriving due to tightened background checks and restrictions.
President Biden's initial plan to increase the refugee cap was put on hold, forcing 700 refugees who had already been screened and were holding tickets to be removed from flights. The swift backlash from human rights activists and fellow Democrats prompted the White House to announce a last-minute increase in the 2021 cap to 62,500.
However, the pandemic, the depletion of the program by the previous administration, and the surge in numbers at the border have raised concerns about whether this new cap will be achievable.
Meanwhile, thousands of Afghans who had worked with US troops have been receiving special immigrant visas under a separate program created by Congress. As of March 31, 20,829 Afghans, along with 52,799 family members, had been granted these visas since 2014.
One of the Afghans who was evacuated and arrived in Houston this month shared his harrowing story, revealing that he managed to escape his city, Gardez, just days before it fell to the Taliban. He expressed deep concern for the many people still trapped in Afghanistan, who are forced to hide or relocate their families.
