(AP) The Biden administration said Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic and the difficulty of reversing Trump administration policies were responsible for the record-low number of refugees admitted to the United States during the 2021 budget year.
The State Department, in an email to the Associated Press, said 11,411 refugees had been allowed into the United States during the budget year that ended Thursday. That was less than the previous low — 11,814 in 2020 — and far below the 62,500 ceiling President Joe Biden had set in May.
The Associated Press reported Monday that admissions hit a record low, citing a person who had access to the information but spoke on condition of anonymity. The State Department’s number was slightly lower than the figure of 11,445 in that report. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.
