Eleanor Acer on Al Jazeera: The United States Must Do More to Meet Refugee Resettlement Needs

The global refugee crisis is intensifying, and the international community, particularly the United States, must do more to meet resettlement needs. As Eleanor Acer emphasized during two appearances on Al Jazeera, the United States is lacking in its Syrian refugee intake, which stands at about 1,300.

Eleanor discusses the current low and slow refugee resettlement process in the United States, explaining how it can be improved to be more quick and effective without sacrificing security checks. As it exists now, the process is tougher than any other vetting process for entrance into the United States. But it’s a drag. It takes 2-3 years to vet refugees—with multiple interviews, background and security checks, and many other obstacles.

In light of this global emergency, the Obama Administration’s plan to resettle 10,000 Syrians, as well as an additional 5,000 refugees, or overall total of 75,000, is disappointing. As Eleanor stated, “we’re urging that the United States increase its commitment to resettling up to 100,000 refugees in the next year.”

The United States needs to stop making excuses and take bold action.