A Supreme Court order last month said the administration must admit refugees beyond the 50,000 cap if they can prove a "bona fide relationship" with a person or entity in the United States. That was part of a broader ruling that allowed President Donald Trump to partially administer his contested travel ban affecting six Muslim majority countries.
As of yesterday, 50,086 refugees have been admitted since the budget year began last October. All those refugees have to undergo a strict screening process. Additional refugees will face the same screening, but will also need to prove they have a close relative living in the United States, a job awaiting them, or admission to a college or university.
The additional requirements are supposed to be in place for 120 days, while the government examines security and screening procedures that Trump suggested aren't stringent enough.
But a new cap will take effect before then, when the new budget year begins in October, and everything is subject to change after the Supreme Court hears arguments on the travel and refugee bans that month. It's unclear what the new cap will be.
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A federal court blocked that order, and Trump issued a second order that sought to overcome the legal challenges. The Supreme Court opinion lets the government partially enforce the order against anyone without a bona fide relationship.
Bellor said roughly 26,000 refugees have already been vetted, interviewed and approved for relocation to the United States and an untold number of those people will be able to prove a valid relationship.
Lee Williams, vice president of the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, said some refugees his agency is helping have strong relationships with people in the United States, but they are in limbo while the government examines their cases.
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