Carper Statement on Trump’s Decision to Cut Refugee Admissions

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) issued the following statement this evening on President Trump’s announcement that he will cut back the number of refugees allowed into this country by more than half during the next fiscal year.

“The founding fathers of the United States of America – a country of immigrants – fought to create a democracy that would be an example of hope and freedom for the world. President Trump’s move to drastically cut back the number of refugees we’ll admit into our country flies in the face of those principles. Men, women and children who enter the United States through the refugee program are subjected to rigorous screening and vetting, and often wait years in difficult or dangerous places just so they may seek safe haven in our country. 

“Not only is this change inhumane, but, coupled with the president’s latest travel ban, it also compromises our reputation as a world leader and threatens to compromise our national security. Our enemies trade on the false narrative that Americans accept only people who have a certain color skin and worship a certain way. This administration’s efforts to isolate us from our allies around the globe only serve to further this misconception. Refugees make great contributions to our economy and our society, and communities across the country, if given the chance, would welcome them with open arms.”

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