Refugees Admitted to US Exceeds Cap

The number of refugees allowed into the U.S. this fiscal year has exceeded 50,000, the cap set by President Donald Trump in his executive order restricting travelers and refugees to the U.S.

As of mid-day Wednesday the total number of refugees admitted was 50,086.

While the cap has been reached, the number of refugees will continue to grow because of the Supreme Court ruling that allows any refugee “who can credibly claim a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the U.S.,” the Department of Homeland Security writes on its web site.

However, the flow of refugees is expected to slow dramatically between now and the end of the fiscal year, September 30, because the definition of acceptable relationships and entities is narrow.

The State Department has defined bona fide relationships as a parent, spouse, fiancé or fiancée, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling who is already in the United States.

An acceptable relationship with an entity has to be “formal, documented,” the State Department ruled. It could include a job offer or enrollment in a university.

But government officials have said that relationships with refugee agencies would not count as bona fide.

The modified travel order went into effect at the end of June after it was given the go-ahead by the Supreme Court. It had been held up by a couple of appeal courts, pending review by the high court.

Former President Barack Obama had set an FY 2017 refugee cap of 110,000.
…