Posted by Christopher Coen on May 24, 2011
A State Department official and the Catholic Courier report that the arrival of new refugees to the US slowed to a trickle due to new security measures put in place by the Department of Homeland Security. The USCCB volag in the first eight months of the fiscal year indicated it has only resettled 38% of refugees scheduled for resettlement this fiscal year.
The number of refugees taking shelter in the United States has slowed to a trickle following new security measures put in place by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.Meanwhile, Catholic refugee resettlement offices across the country are left waiting, uncertain when the flow of refugees will begin again — and when it does, how many refugees may be allowed to enter the country.
Last year, the United States welcomed 75,417 refugees — people escaping religious or political persecution, poverty, natural disasters and more.
The number is determined every year by the president in consultation with Congress; the slots are divided among different regions of the world. In October, President Barack Obama authorized 80,000 refugees be accepted during fiscal year 2011, which runs from October 2010 to September 2011.
Each year, the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services and its diocesan affiliates resettle between 27 percent and 28 percent of the total number authorized to come to the United States, with other aid organizations helping the rest.
An MRS staffer in Washington told Catholic News Service May 16 that of 80,000 authorized for entry this year, the agency and its diocesan affiliates expected to resettle 23,358 refugees. But because of the slow down, only 38 percent of the number authorized by Obama have entered the United States.
Delays in the refugee resettlement process are being caused by a backlog of security clearances and additional security “holds,” according to Larry Bartlett, acting director of the Office of Refugee Admissions for the State Department. The additional security measures are part of a larger series of security enhancements by the Homeland Security Department… Read more here
Posted in Catholic, ceiling limit, refugee annual, Charlotte, funding, North Carolina, Office of Admissions, PRM, security/terrorism, USCCB | Tagged: ae Office of Refugee Admissions, Catholic Social Services Charlotte, Charlotte, Department of Homeland Security, Diocese of Charlotte, FISCAL YEAR 2011, human rights, Larry Bartlett, Migration and Refugee Services, North Carolina, Obama, refugee, resettlement, security clearance, security measure, State Department, U.S. Conference on Catholic Bishops, USCCB, volag | Leave a Comment »
Christopher Coen
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