Washington, D.C. — A report this morning in the Arizona Mirror indicates that the Biden administration has put the traditional refugee resettlement program on hold, from Oct. 29 through Jan. 11, 2022, in order to prioritize resettling Afghan evacuees.
“This reported pause is very troubling. We recognize the challenges of Afghan resettlement and are glad that the administration is prioritizing it, but they need to walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Ali Noorani, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.
“At the very least, the administration should be upfront about what the capacity constraints are. To be clear, the roots of this challenge are in several years of anti-refugee policies that have decimated the resettlement infrastructure.
“Resettlement agencies are facing real challenges, and the administration and Congress need to devote resources, personnel and attention, here and overseas, to work through them.”