President-elect Joe Biden has promised to raise the ceiling on refugee resettlements in the United States to 125,000.
The process to take in more people forced to flee violence would be gradual, said Stanford Prescott, community engagement coordinator for the International Rescue Committee in Arizona.
“There will need to be some rebuilding on the international side. There will need to be rebuilding at the federal side. And of course at local offices around the country. For us here in Phoenix, I think we’re still in a very good position to welcome refugees,” he said.
This is due to existing local infrastructure, partnerships and bipartisan welcoming for refugees, said Prescott.
Arizona has traditionally ranked among the top destinations for people uprooted by violence. Most Arizona arrivals once came from countries blocked by the Trump administration.
In 2016, the majority of people starting over in Arizona came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Somalia and Iraq. The Congo is the only country still on this list, said Prescott.
“Three of those top four countries were all listed on the travel ban and no longer make up a significant portion of arrivals to Phoenix or the United States,” he said.
Biden’s transition team did not respond when asked if he will raise the refugee cap in January or at the start of the next federal fiscal year.
