After a storm of criticism from supporters, Biden lifts US refugee cap to 62,500

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. resurrect / ˌrɛz əˈrɛkt / (v.) – to bring back something that has not existed or has not been used for a long time
    Example:

    Helena wants to resurrect her nursing career after quitting five years ago.


  2. hawk / hɔk / (n.) – someone, especially a public official, who supports an aggressive or violent policy
    Example:

    Henderson is a war hawk, so I’m not surprised that he voted against the peace talks.


  3. lingering / ˈlɪŋ gər ɪŋ / (adj.) – continuing or existing for a long time
    Example:

    Patients who have recovered from the illness may still experience some lingering effects months later.


  4. ramp up (something) / ræmp ʌp / (phrasal v.) – to sharply increase the level, amount, etc. of something
    Example:

    Many tech companies are ramping up the production of laptops and computers due to a sudden increase in demand.


  5. optics / ˈɒp tɪks / (n.) – the way the public understands or sees an event, situation, etc. and its effects
    Example:

    The mayor wanted to use force against the demonstrators, but his staff warned him that the optics would be bad.


Article

Read the text below.

U.S. President Joe Biden said May 3 he has resurrected a plan to raise refugee admissions this year to 62,500 after drawing a wave of criticism from supporters for initially keeping the refugee cap at a historically low level.


Biden formally reversed himself just two weeks after his administration announced it would keep the cap at the 15,000 level set by his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, an immigration hawk.


In a statement, Biden said Trump’s cap “did not reflect America’s values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees.”


“It is important to take this action today to remove any lingering doubt in the minds of refugees around the world who have suffered so much, and who are anxiously waiting for their new lives to begin,” he said.


Soon after taking office in January, Biden pledged to ramp up the program but surprised allies by sticking with the lower cap out of concern over bad optics, given the rising number of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border with Mexico, U.S. officials have said. (Reuters)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Biden has resurrected a plan to raise refugee admissions this year to 62,500 from the 15,000 cap set by Trump. Do you think Biden made the right decision? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Soon after taking office, Biden pledged to ramp up the program but surprised allies by initially sticking with the lower cap. Do politicians often break promises like this in your country too? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Biden said that Trump’s cap “did not reflect America’s values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees.” With all the anti-immigration policies and news stories of the past several years, do you think the US is still viewed as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Would you consider your country to be welcoming and supportive of refugees? Why or why not? Discuss.