USCCB calls refugee admissions stall a crisis

Social justice news
March 2002

Beginning of the end of violence in Northern Ireland?—news analysis
Bush budget 'trickles down' and leaves out social service programs
Clergy sex abuse scandal continues
Giving peace a small chance in the Middle East
Humanitarian emergency follows collapse of Colombia's peace process
IRS warns against "slavery reparation" tax scam
Measuring the human cost of the war on terror
Pax Christi plans summit in a "time of terrorism
Pope calls for immediate Middle East ceasefire
USCCB calls refugee admissions stall a crisis
Vatican opposes Iraq attack, favors Palestinian state

USCCB calls refugee admissions stall a crisis
Alongside the efforts of other refugee advocates, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) has launched a campaign to address the crisis that has beset the refugee admissions program since the September 11 terrorist attacks. MRS resettles as many as 25 percent of the refugees who are admiited to the U.S. each year.

Immediately following the attacks, the Bush administration suspended refugee admissions into the country. At that time, approximately 22,000 refugees had been approved to come to the United States for resettlement but were not allowed to enter pending a comprehensive security review of the refugee program. Refugees could not travel, but students and tourists continued to come to the United States. Because of the security review and the attention of the government to the war on terrorism, President Bush did not sign the Presidential Determination on refugee admissions for fiscal year 2002—which authorizes the admission of 70,000 refugees—until November 21st, almost two months after the commencement of the new fiscal year.

Despite the completion of the security review and the signing of the determination, as of mid-January only 742 refugees had been admitted into the United States since November; far below the approximately 15,000 refugees admitted during the first quarter last year and the number needed to meet the 70,000 ceiling by the end of the fiscal year. In fact, the State Department now estimates that as few as 45,000 refugees could be brought into the United States during 2002.

MRS is urging refugee resettlement directors and other refugee advocates to contact their congressional representatives and President Bush, expressing their support for 70,000 refugee admissions this fiscal year.

For more information on the MRS refugee admissions advocacy campaign, contact Walter Ewing at the Office of Migration and Refugee Policy at 202-541-3448 or wewing@usccb.org.

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