Trump admin intentionally slowing FBI vetting of refugees, ex-officials say
Source: NBC News
Former officials, aid groups say the Trump admin has overloaded the FBI and other agencies with procedures that delay refugee admissions.
by Dan De Luce and Julia Ainsley / Aug.24.2018 / 4:32 AM ET / Updated 7:08 AM ET
The FBI has dramatically slowed the pace of security reviews for refugees in recent months, which former Trump administration officials and human rights advocates say is part of an intentional bid by White House hardliners to restrict the number of refugees allowed in the U.S.
Former officials and aid organizations say the administration has overloaded the FBI and other government agencies with an array of procedures that have weighed down the bureaucracy and effectively delayed refugee admissions.
"It’s a precipitous decline," said one former official who worked on refugee issues before leaving government earlier this year.
Refugee admissions have plunged to historic lows. The U.S. is on track to admit only about 20,000 - 21,000 refugees by the end of September, far below a ceiling set at 45,000 by administration officials last year. That cap itself was lower than any set by a U.S. president since the current refugee program was created in 1980.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-admin-intentionally-slowing-fbi-vetting-refugees-ex-officials-say-n903346
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