Durbin, Klobuchar, senators call on President to fulfill commitment to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in America

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today led a group of 27 senators calling on the President to fulfill the Administration’s commitment to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States this fiscal year. He recently reiterated this commitment, but so far in the first seven months of FY 2016, only 1,736 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States. 

“We write to express our strong support for resettling Syrian refugees in the United States and to urge your Administration to make every effort to meet your commitment to accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in fiscal year 2016,” the senators wrote. “Nonetheless, we are deeply concerned about the slow pace of admissions for Syrian refugees in the first seven months of the fiscal year.  During this time frame only 1,736 Syrian refugees were admitted to the United States.  By contrast, more than 6,000 refugees have been admitted from Burma, more than 5,000 refugees have been admitted from both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, and more than 4,000 refugees have been admitted from Iraq.  To fulfill the commitment you announced last year, at least 8,264 Syrian refugees would need to be admitted during the remaining five months of the fiscal year.  We would appreciate an update on specific measures your Administration plans to take to fulfill its stated commitment to resettle the additional Syrian refugees by the end of September 2016.”