In 2022, Biden Administration falls 80% short Refugee admissions target. The U.S. resettled roughly 25,400 refugees in fiscal year 2022, using only 20% of the 125,000 refugee spots President Biden allocated, data obtained by CBS News show.
This year’s tally is more than double the number of refugee admissions in 2021, which saw a record low of 11,411 refugees. However, the 2022 refugee admissions target still loomed unmet. It also does not include at least 130,000 Afghans and Ukrainians who entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole, a program that grants temporary legal status to foreigners. In 2020, former President Trump reduced the refugee cap to 15,000, thereby affecting future targets including the ambitious 2022 refugee admissions target under President Biden’s administration.
— Ceiling, actual arrivals, and what it means for resettlement
In 2022 the President set the U.S. refugee admissions ceiling (Presidential Determination) at 125,000 for the fiscal year — a substantial increase from the prior administration’s low ceilings.
Despite the 125,000 ceiling, actual refugee admissions for FY2022 were far lower — roughly 25,500 people were admitted to the United States as refugees during the fiscal year. The gap reflects processing backlogs, pandemic-related constraints, security vetting delays, and limits in resettlement capacity.
Note: large humanitarian arrivals (for example, Afghan and Ukrainian evacuees/parolees) were often admitted through separate parole or humanitarian pathways and therefore are not counted in the USRAP admission totals.
Practical guidance
- Track State/PRM and resettlement-agency updates for waitlist movement and priority-group guidance.
- Evaluate alternative humanitarian pathways (parole, SIV, asylum) when appropriate.
- Assemble thorough documentation to speed vetting and processing.
