A few weeks ago, Joe Biden signed an emergency order maintaining the 15,000 refugee limit that was initiated under the Trump administration.
But Biden didn’t reckon on the hysterical hatred of Trump among the radicals in his party. Some Democrats slammed the decision as “unacceptable and unconscionable.”
The Senate’s number two Democrat, Dick Durbin, framed the issue as a crisis.
“These refugees can wait years for their chance and go through extensive vetting,” the Illinois Democrat said in a statement. “Thirty-five thousand are ready. Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our time there is no reason to limit the number to 15,000. Say it ain’t so, President Joe.”
Added Rep. Pramila Jaypal, who heads the Progressive Caucus: “It is simply unacceptable and unconscionable that the Biden administration is not immediately repealing Donald Trump’s harmful, xenophobic, and racist refugee cap that cruelly restricts refugee admissions to a historically low level.”
All that jawboning appears to have paid off. Biden has backtracked and has now raised the refugee limit to 62,500.
“This erases the historically low number set by the previous administration of 15,000, which did not reflect America’s values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees,” Biden said in a statement. “The new admissions cap will also reinforce efforts that are already underway to expand the United States’ capacity to admit refugees, so that we can reach the goal of 125,000 refugee admissions that I intend to set for the coming fiscal year.”
Well, if 15,000 refugees “did not reflect America’s values as a nation,” why did Biden propose maintaining the 15,000 refugee limit in the first place?
Sheesh.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in April the Biden administration had inherited a “decimated refugee admissions program.” She added that Biden would announce a “final, increased refugee cap” by mid-May.
In a lengthy statement detailing his revised refugee cap, Biden said the “sad truth is that we will not achieve 62,500 admissions this year.”
So Biden is going to raise the refugee limit to 62,500 — a number that even he says his administration won’t achieve this year? This number is meaningless except to the extent it makes the radicals feel good about themselves and buries another policy of the hated Trump.
Even more concerning is the ease with which the radicals are manipulating and directing Biden. It’s painfully obvious he’s not in control. It’s equally worrying that Biden cares more about symbolism than concrete action. There is no way the U.S. will be able to process 62,500 refugees this year. So why announce it? And why are the radicals celebrating?
Empty rhetoric, empty policy. Biden is running a government of smoke and mirrors, obscuring the real radicalism inherent in his policies. It may be pleasing to the radicals but it’s scaring most of the rest of us.
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