Top Senate Democrat faults Biden for blocking ‘vetted refugees currently waiting’ to enter US

President Joe Biden’s apparent retention of the refugee cap set by former President Donald Trump has halted the admission of “vetted refugees currently waiting in the system,” according to a senior Senate Democrat.

“The Administration’s delay in issuing the revised Presidential Determination for 2021 has had serious repercussions,” Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez of New Jersey wrote in a Friday letter. “Failing to issue a new determination undermines your declared purpose to reverse your predecessor’s refugee policies and to rebuild the Refugee Admissions Program to a target of 125,000 people in FY22, and threatens U.S. leadership on forced migration.”