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Hirono, Colleagues Announce Legislation to Protect Refugee Entry into U.S.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) in reintroducing the Guaranteed Refugee Admission Ceiling Enhancement (GRACE) Act, legislation that would ensure a U.S. President could not set a Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions below 125,000 refugees.

“The Trump Administration’s decision to undercut refugee admissions hurt some of the most vulnerable people and severely undermined our country’s leadership in refugee resettlement,” said Senator Hirono. “Refugees strengthen our communities, contributing to our economy and culture. This legislation will help to prevent such xenophobic moves by future administrations, reaffirming our commitment to welcoming refugees now and into the future.”

The Trump administration undermined the United States’ refugee program and set the annual refugee admissions target at historically low levels, including 15,000 in 2020. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, 108.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them, nearly 26 million are refugees, and more than half are under the age of 18.

Beyond ensuring the President sets annual refugee admissions at 125,000 at minimum, the GRACE Act also strengthens the refugee program by: 

  1. Automatically setting the annual level of refugee admissions at 125,000 if the President fails to issue a determination by the statutory deadline of October 1. 
  2. Ensuring that each officer responsible for refugee admissions or resettlement treats the Presidential Determination as a goal.
  3. Encouraging the President to consider the report of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) on global resettlement needs when setting the Presidential Determination and determining regional allocations.
  4. Mandating quarterly reports to Congress with specific oversight requirements. 

In addition to Senator Hirono, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) also cosponsored the bill.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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