白宮星期三向國會提交報告說,明年計劃最多接納4萬5千名難民,是30多年來的最低水平。
美國前總統(tǒng)奧巴馬曾提議,在下個財政年度接收11萬難民,是川普政府計劃的兩倍多。
預(yù)計川普今后幾天內(nèi)將正式宣布這一決定。新的難民接收上限將于星期天新財政年度開始時生效,4萬5千名難民的限額是美國1980年設(shè)立難民項目以來的最低點。
在星期六晚上結(jié)束的2017財政年度中,美國約接收了5萬4千名難民。在前總統(tǒng)奧巴馬任期最后一年,2016財政年度中,共有8萬4千995名難民進(jìn)入美國。
移民專家說,4萬5千人是上限,2018財政年度實際接收的難民人數(shù)可能遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)低于上限。
川普的這一決定受到了援助團(tuán)體的強(qiáng)烈批評。他們指出,世界上很多地方的難民危機(jī)不僅沒有改善,反而有所惡化,其中包括敘利亞、緬甸和南蘇丹。
美國政府官員說,川普的這一決定有助于提升國家安全,讓美國有效甄別和接納難民。
聯(lián)合國難民事務(wù)高級專員公署的統(tǒng)計數(shù)字顯示,去年全球共有2250萬難民,這一估計數(shù)字不包括因戰(zhàn)爭、政治動蕩或其它暴力沖突,極度貧困或自然災(zāi)害而在國內(nèi)遷移的人群。
President Donald Trump's administration plans to dramatically reduce the number of refugees allowed into the United States during the coming year.
The White House announced in a report to Congress Wednesday that the U.S. plans to admit no more than 45,000 refugees during the year ahead - the smallest number in more than 35 years.
Former President Barack Obama had proposed a refugee allotment more than twice as great - 110,000 - during the next 12 months.
Trump is expected to formally announce the new refugee allowment plan during the coming days. The new limit of 45,000 refugee admissions would be in effect during the U.S. fiscal year that begins Sunday. It is lower than limits set in any year since the U.S. refugee program was established in 1980.
A full-year total of refugee admissions for fiscal 2017, which ends Saturday night, is expected to be about 54,000. During fiscal 2016, the last full year of Obama's two terms as president, the U.S. welcomed 84,995 refugees.
Immigration experts noted the 45,000 figure is a "cap," or maximum number of refugees that can be admitted during the next 12 months, and they said the number of refugees actually admitted by September 30, 2018, could be substantially lower.
Trump's decision was sharply criticized by aid groups, whose representatives pointed to refugee crises that have worsened, not improved, in many parts of the world, including Syria, Myanmar and South Sudan.
Administration officials said Trump's new cap on numbers admitted will advance national security and the United States' capacity to properly screen and take in refugees.
Worldwide, there were 22.5 million refugees last year, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and that estimate does not include many more people who were internally displaced - forced to leave their homes and move to different parts of their home countries, due to wars, political upheaval or other violence, extreme poverty or natural disasters.