After a storm of criticism from supporters, Biden lifts US refugee cap to 62,500

U.S. President Joe Biden said May 3 he has resurrected a plan to raise refugee admissions this year to 62,500 after drawing a wave of criticism from supporters for initially keeping the refugee cap at a historically low level. Biden formally reversed himself just two weeks after his administration announced it would keep the cap at the 15,000 level set by his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, an immigration hawk. In a statement, Biden said Trump’s cap “did not reflect America’s values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees.” “It is important to take this action today to remove any lingering doubt in the minds of refugees around the world who have suffered so much, and who are anxiously waiting for their new lives to begin,” he said. Soon after taking office in January, Biden pledged to ramp up the program but surprised allies by sticking with the lower cap out of concern over bad optics, given the rising number of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border with Mexico, U.S. officials have said. (Reuters) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.