Trump Officials Pressing To Slash Refugee Admissions To Zero Next Year

(Politico) TED HESSON 07/18/2019 09:04 PM The Trump administration is considering a virtual shutdown of refugee admissions next year cutting the number to nearly zero according to three people familiar with the plan. During a key meeting of security officials on refugee admissions last week a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services representative who is closely aligned with White House immigration adviser Stephen Miller suggested setting a cap at zero the people said. Homeland Security Department officials at the meeting later floated making the level anywhere from 3000 to 10000 according to one of the people. The proposal for a near-shutdown of the refugee program is alarming officials at the Department of Defense who dont want to see a halt in admissions of Iraqis who risked their lives assisting U.S. forces in that country. The possible move comes after the Trump administration cut refugee admissions by a third this year to 30000. If the administration shuts down refugee admissions it would give President Donald Trump a powerful talking point as he makes immigration restrictions a centerpiece of his reelection campaign. At the same time it would strand thousands of people already far along in the process and damage the ability of resettlement agencies to process refugees in future years according to advocates tracking the issue. In the long-term it would mean that the capacity and the ability of the United States to resettle refugees would be completely decimated" said Jen Smyers a director with Church World Service one of the nine U.S. resettlement agencies.