Washington D.C., Aug 31, 2016 / 13:31 pm
As the Obama administration announced Monday that the U.S. had met its goal of accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees in fiscal year 2016, religious freedom advocates voiced approval.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom praised the administration, hailing the accomplishment as "an important step, but only a first step, given the severity of the [Syrian] conflict, the implications for regional and international security, and the vulnerably of Syrian civilians who have been subjected to the most appalling mistreatment from both the Assad regime and its opponents, including ISIL."
President Obama announced last fall that the U.S. would try to increase its intake of refugees from Syria to 10,000 in the fiscal year 2016, pointing to the humanitarian crisis that has unfolded there because of sustained conflict.
"We know that it certainly is not feasible for millions of Syrians to come to this country. But what we can do is make sure that we are doing everything we can to try to provide for their basic needs," White House press secretary Josh Earnest stated.