Feinstein, Durbin, Nadler, Lofgren Statement on Administration’s Consultation on Refugee Admissions

For third year in a row, administration violated law by failing to consult committees, set refugee admission number by Sept. 30

Washington—The Trump administration yesterday conducted its legally required consultation with members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires that by September 30, the president consult with members on the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and set the number of refugees that will be admitted to the country during the upcoming fiscal year. For the third year in a row, the administration has violated the statutory deadline.

Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Senate Immigration Subcommittee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and House Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), released the following statement in response:

“The current administration has separated families, closed off avenues to the legal asylum system, and steadily decimated our refugee program. They have done everything they can to make America a less welcoming nation. It is therefore no surprise to us that the administration’s proposed refugee admissions goal is the lowest since the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980.

“The refugee program provides support to our most vulnerable allies abroad, including dissidents in Hong Kong and Venezuela. In our consultation with Secretary Pompeo, we urged the administration to address these foreign policy concerns and raise the refugee admissions goal. This president has for too long abandoned our key allies. We need a leader who will restore our refugee resettlement program and advance our nation’s interests.

“The American people deserve better.”