The Trump administration announced this fall that it would accept a lower number of refugee admissions in the coming year. In a proposal sent to Congress, the administration said it would accept 15,000 refugees in fiscal year 2021, a more than 15% reduction from fiscal year 2020. The U.S. State Department justified the plan, saying it reflects the administration’s mission to protect Americans, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The president’s proposal for refugee resettlement in FY 2021 reaffirms America’s enduring commitment to assist the world’s most vulnerable people while fulfilling our first duty to protect and serve the American people,”…

Each year, the President determines the maximum number of refugees to be admitted into the United States. The ceiling is 70,000 for the current fiscal year. With Syrians continuing to flee that country’s violence and strife, however, Secretary of State John Kerry pledged that the United States will take in as many as 85,000 refugees, including at least 10,000 from Syria. That ceiling would be raised to 100,000 in 2017. Refugees will also be admitted from parts of Africa that are experiencing similar conflicts. “This step is in keeping with America’s best tradition as a land of second chances and…