Trump administration proposes to cut refugee cap to 45,000WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed admitting a maximum of 45,000 refugees next year, the lowest cap in decades, which officials said was necessary to ensure U.S. security, although Democrats and humanitarian groups blasted the decision as an abandonment of American moral authority. That figure is the lowest cap since the modern U.S. refugee admissions system was established in 1980, and the administration s decision was harshly criticized by refugee advocates who say it ignores growing humanitarian crises around the world. The report also projects slashing funding to the refugee resettlement program by 25 percent.  The security and safety of the American people is our chief concern,  a U.S. official said in a call with reporters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.  We have every plan to process as many refugees as we can under this ceiling.    A second U.S. official said the administration is considering a  wide range of potential measures and enhancements  to refugee vetting, in accordance with a January executive order from President Donald Trump, though the official gave no further details. The lower refugee cap is a continuation of Trump s hardline stance on immigration. He made the issue a focus during the presidential campaign, advocating for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and the deportation of immigrants in the country illegally, and saying that Syrian refugees fleeing their country s civil war present a security threat to the United States. The proposed refugee limit represents a cut of more than half from the refugee ceiling set last year by former President Barack Obama, and is much lower than the 75,000 limit suggested by refugee advocates this year. It is also lower than the 50,000 cap Trump set in an executive order shortly after he took office in January. The administration proposed taking in a maximum of 19,000 refugees from Africa, 5,000 from East Asia, 2,000 from Europe and Central Asia, 1,500 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 17,500 from the Middle East and South Asia. Many national security experts argue that refugees do not present a danger to the United States because they are already among the most highly vetted immigrants to gain admittance to the United States, going through a grueling process that takes 18 to 24 months on average. Democratic Representatives John Conyers and Zoe Lofgren said the administration s decision  is an abdication of our moral authority, and an abandonment of the very values that make America great.  Republican Representative Raul Labrador, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee s immigration subcommittee, said in a statement the lower cap sets a  more manageable level  for refugee admissions. The Wednesday report said that at the end of 2016, the estimated refugee population worldwide reached 22.5 million, an increase of 1.1 million in just one year. (For report, click: tmsnrt.rs/2yHEKpk) Administration officials said one reason for the lower cap is that Department of Homeland Security staff are being re-directed to deal with a growing backlog of cases of people already in the United States and seeking asylum for fear of persecution. The State Department report said there are now nearly 300,000 asylum applications pending with DHS. Refugees, as opposed to asylees, apply to come to the United States while they are still overseas. DHS officials who specialize in processing refugees abroad are being re-assigned to handle asylum cases in the United States, a change from previous practice. Officials warned that the final number of refugees allowed to come into the United States next year will depend on DHS   interviewing capacity.   But this number was reached after taking a look at these requirements, and we believe that we can get into the ballpark of this number, of this ceiling,  one U.S. official said. There are at least 58,000 refugees who were ready for travel under the 2017 fiscal year quota and weren t able to come to the United States because of Trump s lower 2017 cap, said Jen Smyers, of the refugee resettlement agency Church World Service. Of those, around 22,000 already had guarantees from agencies that handle refugee resettlement in the United States, she said. Immigration law requires the administration to submit the refugee report to Congress before the start of each fiscal year, and then consult with top members of relevant committees prior to the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1. Congressional officials received the administration s report in hard-copy form on Wednesday less than three hours before a scheduled consultation between cabinet officials and top Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, one Congressional aide said. The late delivery of the report makes the consultation close to meaningless, aides complained. In 2016, the Obama administration released its own refugee report on Sept. 15.  If we have not received the report in advance, there is pretty much nothing to consult on,  said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Refugee advocacy groups said that while previous consultations had been close to the deadline set for announcing the cap, it was unusual for the report to be sent to Congress on the same day as the consultation meeting. worldnews
trump administration proposes cut refugee cap york reuters the trump administration wednesday proposed admitting maximum refugees next year lowest cap decades officials said necessary ensure security although democrats humanitarian groups blasted decision abandonment american moral authority that figure lowest cap since modern refugee admissions system established administration decision harshly criticized refugee advocates say ignores growing humanitarian crises around world the report also projects slashing funding refugee resettlement program percent the security safety american people chief concern official said call reporters wednesday speaking condition anonymity we every plan process many refugees ceiling a second official said administration considering wide range potential measures enhancements refugee vetting accordance january executive order president donald trump though official gave details the lower refugee cap continuation trump hardline stance immigration he made issue focus presidential campaign advocating wall along border mexico deportation immigrants country illegally saying syrian refugees fleeing country civil war present security threat united states the proposed refugee limit represents cut half refugee ceiling set last year former president barack obama much lower limit suggested refugee advocates year it also lower cap trump set executive order shortly took office january the administration proposed taking maximum refugees africa east asia europe central asia latin america caribbean middle east south asia many national security experts argue refugees present danger united states already among highly vetted immigrants gain admittance united states going ruling process takes months average democratic representatives john confers zoe lofgren said administration decision abdication moral authority abandonment values make america great republican representative raul labrador chairman house judiciary committee immigration subcommittee said statement lower cap sets manageable level refugee admissions the wednesday report said end estimated refugee population worldwide reached million increase million one year for report click administration officials said one reason lower cap department homeland security staff deal growing backlog cases people already united states seeking asylum fear persecution the state department report said nearly asylum applications pending dhs refugees opposed asleep apply come united states still overseas dhs officials specialize processing refugees abroad handle asylum cases united states change previous practice officials warned final number refugees allowed come united states next year depend dhs interviewing capacity but number reached taking look requirements believe get ballpark number ceiling one official said there least refugees ready travel fiscal year quota able come united states trump lower cap said jen myers refugee resettlement agency church world service of around already guarantees agencies handle refugee resettlement united states said immigration law requires administration submit refugee report congress start fiscal year consult top members relevant committees prior start fiscal year congressional officials received administration report form wednesday less three hours scheduled consultation cabinet officials top republicans democrats house senate one congressional aide said the late delivery report makes consultation close meaningless aides complained in obama administration released refugee report if received report advance pretty much nothing consult said aide spoke condition anonymity refugee advocacy groups said previous consultations close deadline set announcing cap unusual report sent congress day consultation meeting worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump administration proposes to cut refugee cap to 45,000WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed admitting a maximum of 45,000 refugees next year, the lowest cap in decades, which officials said was necessary to ensure U.S. security, although Democrats and humanitarian groups blasted the decision as an abandonment of American moral authority. That figure is the lowest cap since the modern U.S. refugee admissions system was established in 1980, and the administration s decision was harshly criticized by refugee advocates who say it ignores growing humanitarian crises around the world. The report also projects slashing funding to the refugee resettlement program by 25 percent.  The security and safety of the American people is our chief concern,  a U.S. official said in a call with reporters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.  We have every plan to process as many refugees as we can under this ceiling.    A second U.S. official said the administration is considering a  wide range of potential measures and enhancements  to refugee vetting, in accordance with a January executive order from President Donald Trump, though the official gave no further details. The lower refugee cap is a continuation of Trump s hardline stance on immigration. He made the issue a focus during the presidential campaign, advocating for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and the deportation of immigrants in the country illegally, and saying that Syrian refugees fleeing their country s civil war present a security threat to the United States. The proposed refugee limit represents a cut of more than half from the refugee ceiling set last year by former President Barack Obama, and is much lower than the 75,000 limit suggested by refugee advocates this year. It is also lower than the 50,000 cap Trump set in an executive order shortly after he took office in January. The administration proposed taking in a maximum of 19,000 refugees from Africa, 5,000 from East Asia, 2,000 from Europe and Central Asia, 1,500 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 17,500 from the Middle East and South Asia. Many national security experts argue that refugees do not present a danger to the United States because they are already among the most highly vetted immigrants to gain admittance to the United States, going through a grueling process that takes 18 to 24 months on average. Democratic Representatives John Conyers and Zoe Lofgren said the administration s decision  is an abdication of our moral authority, and an abandonment of the very values that make America great.  Republican Representative Raul Labrador, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee s immigration subcommittee, said in a statement the lower cap sets a  more manageable level  for refugee admissions. The Wednesday report said that at the end of 2016, the estimated refugee population worldwide reached 22.5 million, an increase of 1.1 million in just one year. (For report, click: tmsnrt.rs/2yHEKpk) Administration officials said one reason for the lower cap is that Department of Homeland Security staff are being re-directed to deal with a growing backlog of cases of people already in the United States and seeking asylum for fear of persecution. The State Department report said there are now nearly 300,000 asylum applications pending with DHS. Refugees, as opposed to asylees, apply to come to the United States while they are still overseas. DHS officials who specialize in processing refugees abroad are being re-assigned to handle asylum cases in the United States, a change from previous practice. Officials warned that the final number of refugees allowed to come into the United States next year will depend on DHS   interviewing capacity.   But this number was reached after taking a look at these requirements, and we believe that we can get into the ballpark of this number, of this ceiling,  one U.S. official said. There are at least 58,000 refugees who were ready for travel under the 2017 fiscal year quota and weren t able to come to the United States because of Trump s lower 2017 cap, said Jen Smyers, of the refugee resettlement agency Church World Service. Of those, around 22,000 already had guarantees from agencies that handle refugee resettlement in the United States, she said. Immigration law requires the administration to submit the refugee report to Congress before the start of each fiscal year, and then consult with top members of relevant committees prior to the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1. Congressional officials received the administration s report in hard-copy form on Wednesday less than three hours before a scheduled consultation between cabinet officials and top Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, one Congressional aide said. The late delivery of the report makes the consultation close to meaningless, aides complained. In 2016, the Obama administration released its own refugee report on Sept. 15.  If we have not received the report in advance, there is pretty much nothing to consult on,  said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Refugee advocacy groups said that while previous consultations had been close to the deadline set for announcing the cap, it was unusual for the report to be sent to Congress on the same day as the consultation meeting. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump administration proposes cut refugee cap york reuters the trump administration wednesday proposed admitting maximum refugees next year lowest cap decades officials said necessary ensure security although democrats humanitarian groups blasted decision abandonment american moral authority that figure lowest cap since modern refugee admissions system established administration decision harshly criticized refugee advocates say ignores growing humanitarian crises around world the report also projects slashing funding refugee resettlement program percent the security safety american people chief concern official said call reporters wednesday speaking condition anonymity we every plan process many refugees ceiling a second official said administration considering wide range potential measures enhancements refugee vetting accordance january executive order president donald trump though official gave details the lower refugee cap continuation trump hardline stance immigration he made issue focus presidential campaign advocating wall along border mexico deportation immigrants country illegally saying syrian refugees fleeing country civil war present security threat united states the proposed refugee limit represents cut half refugee ceiling set last year former president barack obama much lower limit suggested refugee advocates year it also lower cap trump set executive order shortly took office january the administration proposed taking maximum refugees africa east asia europe central asia latin america caribbean middle east south asia many national security experts argue refugees present danger united states already among highly vetted immigrants gain admittance united states going ruling process takes months average democratic representatives john confers zoe lofgren said administration decision abdication moral authority abandonment values make america great republican representative raul labrador chairman house judiciary committee immigration subcommittee said statement lower cap sets manageable level refugee admissions the wednesday report said end estimated refugee population worldwide reached million increase million one year for report click administration officials said one reason lower cap department homeland security staff deal growing backlog cases people already united states seeking asylum fear persecution the state department report said nearly asylum applications pending dhs refugees opposed asleep apply come united states still overseas dhs officials specialize processing refugees abroad handle asylum cases united states change previous practice officials warned final number refugees allowed come united states next year depend dhs interviewing capacity but number reached taking look requirements believe get ballpark number ceiling one official said there least refugees ready travel fiscal year quota able come united states trump lower cap said jen myers refugee resettlement agency church world service of around already guarantees agencies handle refugee resettlement united states said immigration law requires administration submit refugee report congress start fiscal year consult top members relevant committees prior start fiscal year congressional officials received administration report form wednesday less three hours scheduled consultation cabinet officials top republicans democrats house senate one congressional aide said the late delivery report makes consultation close meaningless aides complained in obama administration released refugee report if received report advance pretty much nothing consult said aide spoke condition anonymity refugee advocacy groups said previous consultations close deadline set announcing cap unusual report sent congress day consultation meeting worldnews