Biden "Reverses Decision"

U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he will raise the cap on the number of refugees allowed into the United States this year, following criticism from Democratic lawmakers for agreeing to keep the historically low number unchanged. Biden signed an order on Friday to maintain the maximum limit for refugee admissions set by his predecessor, Donald Trump, at 15,000 individuals until the end of September. By signing this order, Biden effectively froze a plan announced in February to increase the cap to 62,500. On Saturday, Biden told reporters in Delaware that he will raise the cap of 15,000 refugees. However, it is unlikely that the number will reach the proposed cap of 62,500, according to U.S. news network CNN. After criticism from lawmakers and refugee advocacy groups, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated on Friday that Biden intends to "set a final increased cap for refugees for the remainder of this fiscal year by May 15." Biden's order to set the admission number at 15,000 was a setback for refugee advocacy groups, which urged the Democratic president to act swiftly to reverse Trump's refugee policies, which had defined this limit partly as a means to reduce immigration.