President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday recommitted the U.S. to leading the world when it comes to helping millions of refugees, in separate statements that were released to mark World Refugee Day.
“The United States is determined to find solutions,” Kerry stated before confirming the Obama administration’s controversial pledge to take in more refugees this year, primarily from Iraq and Syria.
“In the meantime, we will remain committed to providing humanitarian assistance across the globe, while also expanding our own refugee resettlement program – from nearly 70,000 admitted last year to 85,000 from across the world in 2016,” Kerry stated. Although the State Department is not technically reserving 10,000 of those 15,000 additional slots for Iraqis and Syrians, the White House set a “goal” of admitting 10,000 migrants from those two countries this fiscal year.
“For our part, the United States provides more humanitarian assistance to refugees than any other nation and maintains the world’s largest refugee resettlement program,” Obama stated. “But responding to today’s unprecedented challenge requires all of us to do more.”
Obama recently called on other countries to contribute 30 percent more to the refugee crisis and is convening a special leaders’ summit on the issue during September’s annual U.N. General Assembly.
“Protecting and assisting refugees is a part of our history as a nation, and we will continue to alleviate the suffering of refugees abroad, and to welcome them here at home, because doing so reflects our American values and our noblest traditions as a nation, enriches our society, and strengthens our collective security,” Obama said.
Their statements corresponded with a U.N. announcement that there are more refugees in the world than ever.
