The White House announced Thursday , September 26, 2019, that it drastically lowered the refugee cap to 18,000 for the upcoming fiscal year.
The 18,000 figure is the lowest levels since the start of the refugee program, and already down from 30,000 last year.
The State Department announced the cut was based on the “current burdens” on the immigration system, and that the cap will not be raised until those burdens are “alleviated.”
The State Department estimated that it will receive 368,000 refugee and asylum claims in FY 2020, but will only admit a maximum of 18,000 refugees.
