DHS/IMMIGATION/REFUGEES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is considering slashing the number of refugees it allows to come to the U.S. next year by as much as 44% as it looks to tighten its immigration crackdown, a senior administration official said. The plan under discussion seeks to cap the number of refugees granted resettlement in the U.S. in 2019 to 25,000 people, the official said, a figure that has already dropped significantly since President Trump took office last year. The cap for 2018 is 45,000, low by historical standards. A National Security Council meeting to discuss the proposed plan is scheduled for this week, the official said. If the plan is implemented, the number of refugees granted admission into the U.S. would be at its lowest level in about four decades. The White House and Department of Homeland Security didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Those within the administration who advocate for slashing the refugee cap, including Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to Mr. Trump, say that as a matter of national security, the government can’t keep up with the extensive vetting that refugees require. Such a measure would reduce the backlog, they say.”
–Vivian Salama, “Trump Considers Slashing Number of Refugees Allowed to Resettle in U.S.,” The Wall Street Journal, August 1, 2018 2:53 pm