US re-admits refugees after pause to manage Afghan arrivals

The United States will begin admitting refugees this week after the pause established by the government last year to relocate the thousands of Afghans who were evacuated with the military withdrawal.

The decision had blocked the process of entry of refugees from other countries, including those from Latin America.

"As of January 11, there are no restrictions on refugee travel," a State Department spokesman told CNN news network.

Thus, people who have passed the bureaucratic procedures to obtain a refugee visa will be able to enter the United States.

A border officer reviews a traveler's documentation at the Miami airport in November 2020 Lynne Sladky / AP

The Administration chaired by Joe Biden decided to suspend the acceptance of refugees (except in exceptional cases) in order to manage and settle in the country the avalanche of Afghans removed from their country, which strained an already overwhelmed system.

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Refugee resettlement agencies have had to go the extra mile to cope with the influx of Afghans, as their management capacity is limited after former President Donald Trump cut the number of admissions during his administration, resulting in the office closures and the dismissal of qualified personnel.

Almost 55,000 Afghans have already been relocated to the country, but about 20,500 people were still in military bases on January 6, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security.

Activists, organizations, and volunteers have helped welcome and integrate them into American communities.

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Jan. 11, 202201: 49

"Spurred on by the arrival of our Afghan allies, we have been able to launch new resettlement offices, hire staff and forge new relationships with community groups and volunteers," said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of the Service, in a statement. Lutheran of Immigration and Refugees.

"We can continue to resettle Afghan families away from military installations and we can resume work hosting refugees of other nationalities arriving from abroad. The human impact cannot be underestimated," he added.

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For fiscal year 2022 (which began on October 1), Biden has set a limit of 125,000 refugees admitted to the country.