Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021, 24475-24476 [2021-09861]

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• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 87 (Friday, May 7, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 24475-24476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09861]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 87 / Friday, May 7, 2021 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 24475]]

                Presidential Determination No. 2021-06 of May 3, 2021

                
Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee 
                Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021

                Memorandum for the Secretary of State

                In Executive Order 14013 of February 4, 2021 
                (Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees 
                and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on 
                Migration), I directed numerous actions to rebuild, 
                expand, and improve the United States Refugee 
                Admissions Program (USRAP). On February 12, 2021, the 
                Department of State submitted a report to certain 
                congressional committees and, with the Department of 
                Homeland Security and the Department of Health and 
                Human Services, consulted with the Congress regarding a 
                proposal to re-allocate admissions among refugees of 
                humanitarian concern and to increase Fiscal Year (FY) 
                2021 refugee admissions from 15,000 refugees to 62,500 
                refugees due to an unforeseen emergency refugee 
                situation in countries around the globe since the 
                signing of Presidential Determination 2021-02 on 
                October 27, 2020 (Presidential Determination on Refugee 
                Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021) (PD 2021-02).

                In Presidential Determination 2021-05 of April 16, 2021 
                (Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee 
                Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021) (PD 2021-05), I 
                changed the allocation of admissions in PD 2021-02 
                based on a determination that new allocations were 
                necessary to respond to the unforeseen emergency 
                refugee situation. Based on this change, USRAP partners 
                are beginning travel preparations for more than 2,000 
                refugees who were excluded under PD 2021-02, but who 
                can now be admitted to the United States.

                In PD 2021-05, I did not change the pre-existing number 
                of refugee admissions permitted for FY 2021, which 
                remained at 15,000. I also stated that I would consider 
                raising the worldwide refugee admissions ceiling before 
                the end of FY 2021, should the pre-existing level be 
                reached and the emergency refugee situation persist. 
                When I signed PD 2021-05, my intent was to adjust only 
                the allocation of admissions and to address the 
                appropriate number of refugees in a separate 
                determination. Upon additional briefing and a more 
                comprehensive presentation regarding the capacity of 
                the executive departments and agencies charged with 
                administering USRAP to increase refugee admissions 
                while responding to other demands, and given the 
                ongoing unforeseen emergency refugee situation, I now 
                determine, consistent with my Administration's prior 
                consultation with the Congress, that raising the number 
                of admissions permissible for FY 2021 to 62,500 is 
                justified by grave humanitarian concerns and is 
                otherwise in the national interest.

                The number of refugee admissions authorized by this 
                determination under section 207(b) of the Immigration 
                and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157(b)) sends the 
                important message that the United States remains a safe 
                harbor for some of the most vulnerable people in the 
                world. This number also sets a goal for USRAP and the 
                non-governmental and international organizations with 
                whom USRAP partners to resettle refugees. Given the 
                gravity of the global refugee crisis, the number of 
                authorized refugee admissions must be ambitious enough 
                to challenge the United States Government and its 
                partners to build their capacity to serve more 
                refugees. In my judgment, a refugee admissions 
                determination of 62,500 reflects these values, is 
                justified by grave humanitarian concerns, and is 
                otherwise in the national interest of the United 
                States.

[[Page 24476]]

                The FY 2021 allocations set forth in section (b) of PD 
                2021-05 are adjusted as follows:

 
 
 
                                                                 Africa.................................................  22,000                  ......
                                                                 East Asia..............................................  6,000                   ......
                                                                 Europe and Central Asia................................  4,000                   ......
                                                                 Latin America and the Caribbean........................  5,000                   ......
                                                                 Near East and South Asia...............................  13,000                  ......
                                                                 Unallocated Reserve....................................  12,500                  ......
 

                The provisions of PD 2021-05 are retained, except to 
                the extent superseded by this determination.

                You are authorized and directed to publish this 
                determination in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, May 3, 2021

[FR Doc. 2021-09861
Filed 5-6-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P