Dec 22, 2020 / 05:54 PM EST
(CNN) President Donald Trump spent years limiting the number of refugees coming to the United States.
President-elect Joe Biden, meanwhile, has pledged to set the annual refugee admissions cap at 125,000. But first, his team will have to contend with the damage left behind.
The refugee cap, which dictates how many refugees may be admitted to the U.S.
, must be approved by the president. But where the cap has often been viewed as a goal to be reached, the actual number of refugees admitted has fallen short under the Trump administration.
“The program that this incoming administration is inheriting is on its last breath,” said Danielle Grigsby, director of policy and practice at Refugee Council USA. “It’s going to require both political will and an early investment in overturning policies to see the program begin to operate as it can and is intended to.”
Biden team prepares to revamp the US refugee admissions program
President Donald Trump spent years limiting the number of refugees coming to the United States. President-elect Joe Biden, meanwhile, has pledged to set the annual refugee admissions cap at 125,000. But first, his team will have to contend with the damage left behind.
The refugee cap, which dictates how many refugees may be admitted to the US
, must be approved by the president. But where the cap has often been viewed as a goal to be reached, the actual number of refugees admitted has fallen short under the Trump administration.
“The program that this incoming administration is inheriting is on its last breath,” said Danielle Grigsby, director of policy and practice at Refugee Council USA. “It’s going to require both political will and an early investment in overturning policies to see the program begin to operate as it can and is intended to.”
Because of the pandemic, more than half of the presents were bought online this year.
“In the past, the Angel Tree program was dependent on people attending mass, getting something off the Angel Tree in the lobby, and going home and purchasing it and bringing it back, and being a part of the supply chain if you will,” said Dave Woodyard, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Dallas.
The event helped make Christmas possible for Xiomara Menjivar, who said she hasn’t been able to work since March because of the pandemic.
“We don’t have a lot of money right now. We had to pay bills. This is very helpful. I’m so glad they had this opportunity so the kids can be happy to have a toy,” Menjivar said.