On April 16, the President signed a determination that shifted allocations for refugee resettlement but did not increase the refugee cap for 2021. In response, The Episcopal Church put out a statement expressing disappointment and calling on the President to take action to raise the refugee cap above a historic low. The White House has since stated that they intend to increase the refugee cap and release a new determination by May 15 that reflects the capacity of the program.
The Episcopal Church reiterates its call for United States and other wealthy nations to “contribute to resettlement, establish and maintain safe and orderly humanitarian protection for refugees, internally displaced persons, and other migrants seeking long-term solutions and safety.” We call on President Biden to set a presidential determination, in consultation with Congress, to admit as many refugees as possible this fiscal year and to fulfill his promise to resettle 125,000 refugees in FY2022. “Members of The Episcopal Church will participate in Refugee Council USA’s Virtual Advocacy Days next week, giving them an opportunity to ask their members of Congress to provide the administration with the funding to meet these goals,” said Rebecca Blachly, director of the Office of Government Relations for The Episcopal Church. In addition to these efforts, the Church will continue to work through its coalition partners to ensure that the United States continues to welcome the stranger, especially the most vulnerable facing dire conditions overseas.