Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2019 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S HUMANITARIAN AND RESPONSIBLE APPROACH ON REFUGEES PROTECTS THE WELFARE OF AMERICAN CITIZENS   “A responsible approach to refugees is one that seeks the eventual return of refugees to their home countries so that they can help to rebuild their own nations.” – President Donald J. Trump   MOST GENEROUS IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IN THE WORLD: America continues to lead the way in worldwide refugee efforts, both in financial contributions and permanent resettlement. The United States expects to receive more than 368,000 new refugees and asylum claims in fiscal year (FY) 2020 – continuing our generous record of providing humanitarian protections. This includes a proposed 18,000 refugees and more than 350,000 individuals in new asylum cases. Considering refugees and asylum seekers as part of the same relief effort is an accurate reflection of America’s generous protection-based immigration. This proposed ceiling takes into account the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis on our border and the massive asylum backlog, which now includes nearly one million individuals. The overwhelming backlog is completely unsustainable and needs to be addressed before we accept large numbers of refugees. ENHANCING STATE AND LOCAL COOPERATION: President Trump signed an Executive Order to enhance State and local involvement in refugee resettlement.   Today, the President signed an Executive Order to ensure refugees are placed in an environment in which they will have the greatest opportunities to thrive, prosper, and contribute to their new American community. At President Trump’s direction, refugees will be resettled in jurisdictions where both State and local governments consent to receive them. Working with State and local governments on resettlement will ensure communities without the resources or capacity for refugee resettlement do not face this burden. This Executive Order will also have the benefit of increasing transparency into our Nation’s current refugee resettlement operations. AMERICA FIRST: The President will always put the welfare of American citizens first.   The primary goal of our refugee policy is to enable refugees to ultimately return home, where they can help rebuild their communities – which also supports our foreign policy interests. The United States spends billions of dollars resettling refugees that could be invested in our citizens here at home. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spent more than $96 billion on programs supporting or benefitting refugees between 2005 and 2014. HHS surveys show that 45 percent of refugees arriving between 2011 and 2015 were receiving cash assistance and 49 percent were receiving Medicaid. PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump is prioritizing the safety and security of the American people by making sure we do not admit more people than we can vet.   The United States can only admit so many refugees while ensuring we maintain a high standard of screening. Proper controls are vital, as many refugees come from countries that are known sources of terrorism or lack the modern recordkeeping to help us identify their nationals. Law enforcement has apprehended a number of alleged terrorists in recent years who passed through our refugee program. ###