WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Intolerance for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, released the following statement after the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human Services announced their decision to cut refugee admissions by nearly half, to 18,000 from 30,000 the previous year – a record-low for admissions.

“President Trump’s cruel decision to propose a record-low number of refugee admissions is for all practical purposes a refugee ban. It will undoubtedly endanger countless individuals fleeing persecution, violence and natural disasters around the world and make it much more difficult for families to reunify with their loved ones. 

“Showing compassion for refugees forced to flee their homes is a net benefit for our nation. Refugees go through an extensive vetting process and bring tremendous contributions to communities all across America. They should be welcomed, not vilified.

“Congress must reassert America’s moral leadership in the world by reversing the Trump Administration’s decision and enacting legislation which sets a more humane refugee admissions goal of at least 95,000.”

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