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After backtracking from a promised increase and facing swift backlash, President Joe Biden now plans on announcing an increase to the refugee admissions cap by May 15. On Friday, the White House said the cap would remain at 15,000, the amount former President Donald Trump set it at. Biden had promised to allow 62,500 refugees this fiscal year and then increase it to 125,000 next. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, said the Biden administration would most likely not meet the original number due to a rise in border crossings. But experts and refugee groups noted there’s not much overlap between the two issues, leading Biden to promise to once again up the cap. HuffPost
White House Reportedly Disappointed With Health Secretary
Top White House officials are frustrated with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra’s slow effort on housing unaccompanied migrants. According to eight current and former government officials, he’s been taking his time getting settled in after his March 18 confirmation. But meanwhile, more and more people are crossing the border, and the Biden administration is scrambling to find new shelters as detention centers become crowded. Officials working on the issue with Becerra started questioning his readiness for managing this emergency. “He did not fully appreciate the issue when he first came in,” said one senior administration official. “It’s been a steep learning curve for him.” Politico
Bush Coming Out With Immigration Book
Former President George W. Bush wrote an Opinion article in the Washington Post to promote his new book featuring his oil paintings titled “Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants.” “I hope that these faces, and the stories that accompany them, serve as a reminder that immigration isn’t just a part of our heritage. New Americans are just as much as a force for good now, with their energy, idealism and love of country, as they have always been,” he said On Sunday, Bush told CBS News that he doesn’t want to tell Congress what to do, but then asked them to put “all the harsh rhetoric about immigration” aside. The Washington Post (Opinion) and CBS News
