The number of immigrant refugees coming into the United States every month has seen a sharp decline in the 2017 fiscal year so far, falling to 3,316 last month in comparison to 9,945 in October of last year, an analysis of data from the US State Department by the Pew Research Center has revealed. Nearly all states reported a major fall in new monthly arrivals, with the exception of just four.
The number of immigrant refugees arriving nationwide decreased in all of the first five months of this year. This is the longest recorded consecutive monthly fall since before 2000, beyond which there are no available records. However, the number of immigrant refugees arriving in the United States did increase in April, rising from 2,070 in March to 3,316.
President Donald Trump had previously issued an executive order to limit the number of immigrant refugees permitted to enter the United States in the 2017 fiscal year to 50,000, over 50 percent less than the Obama administration’s annual limit, though court proceedings have left the implementation of that order in limbo. Just 7,586 extra immigrant refugees would be allowed to settle in the US up to the end of September (the end of the 2017 fiscal year) if that new ceiling stays in place.
A letter was sent to the State Department earlier this month by a group of US senators who want more details about the resettlement limit and whether or not screening is continuing for refugees.