Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are blasting President Joe Biden for keeping the refugee cap set by the former administration in place.
In February, Biden vowed to raise the limit of 15,000 refugees established by the Trump administration for this year and to raise the annual refugee admissions cap to 125,000 for the following fiscal year.
The Biden administration broke the promise when it announced on Friday it would not be increasing the cap.
Omar took to Twitter to respond to the news.
“As a refugee, I know finding a home is a matter of life or death for children around the world. It is shameful that [POTUS] is reneging on a key promise to welcome refugees, moments after [Rep Schakowsky] [Rep Jayapal], myself and others called on him to increase the refugee cap,” she wrote.
As a refugee, I know finding a home is a matter of life or death for children around the world.
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 16, 2021
It is shameful that @POTUS is reneging on a key promise to welcome refugees, moments after @RepSchakowsky @RepJayapal, myself and others called on him to increase the refugee cap. pic.twitter.com/eaxjHCUhrI
Omar’s fellow “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called the move “completely and utterly unacceptable.”
She added, “Biden promised to welcome immigrants, and people voted for him based on that promise. Upholding the xenophobic and racist policies of the Trump admin, incl the historically low + plummeted refugee cap, is flat out wrong. Keep your promise.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) joined her fellow “squad” members in blasting Biden’s “utterly shameful decision,” saying it will “bring much pain.”
She continued, “This broken promise perpetuates the horrific policies of the Trump Admin and inflicts devastating and avoidable harm on Black and brown people globally – many of whom flee conflicts we fueled.”
An utterly shameful decision that will bring much pain. This broken promise perpetuates the horrific policies of the Trump Admin and inflicts devastating and avoidable harm on Black and brown people globally – many of whom flee conflicts we fueled. https://t.co/u0fTqJHUjw
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) April 16, 2021
The announcement comes one day after White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during the press briefing, “The President remains committed to raising the refugee cap, and I can assure anyone who has concerns that that remains the case.”