January 27 was Holocaust Memorial Day, a day Americans remember with shame the hundreds of German Jewish refugees denied entry to American ports who subsequently died in the Holocaust. January 27 was also the day President Trump signed an executive immigration order (EO) that upended the lives of thousands of vulnerable people. The EO separated parents from their children, prevented patients from getting medical treatment, and jeopardized friends and allies in Iraq who have fought alongside us in the war against ISIS.
Less visible to the public was the anguish suffered by the 60,000 refugees who are languishing in refugee camps and have already been granted security clearance to come to the United States, and will now be denied entry.
President Trump's order suspended the U.S. refugee program for a minimum 120 days; suspended admissions of refugees from Syria indefinitely; and cut this year's refugee cap from 110,000 to 50,000. Because of the suspensions, it is likely that the United States will admit substantially fewer than 50,000 refugees in 2017. This year, the United States may admit the lowest numbers of refugees since the Refugee Act was passed in 1980.
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