One Year Out: RCUSA reports back on Biden’s resettlement EO
RCUSA’s policy experts have released a new report examining the progress made since President Biden signed the Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration on February 4, 2021. Download the full report, or scroll for a preview.
On February 4, 2021, President Biden issued the Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration. This executive order (EO) served as a roadmap, outlining the Administration’s principles and proposed benchmarks for reinvigorating the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) after four years of near decimation. It also called for a report that addresses the multiple security, protection, humanitarian assistance, and partnership impacts of climate induced migration, “including forced migration, internal displacement, and planned relocation.”
Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) marks this one year anniversary with an assessment of the progress that the Administration made in meeting the EO’s stated goals and what work remains.
Green, yellow, and red ratings may each contain a range of actions or inactions. Selections were made using the following criteria:
- Green: The administration took meaningful, and substantive steps to ensure the goal was met
- Yellow: The administration took some level of action toward meeting this goal, or the goal was partially met with indications that the administration will continue to take meaningful next steps
- Red: After a year, we have not seen significant changes implemented in order to meet this goal
Report-Biden-Resettlement-EO-Report-Card 
RCUSA is a diverse coalition advocating for just and humane laws and policies, and the promotion of dialogue and communication among government, civil society, and those who need protection and welcome. Individual RCUSA members do not all address all refugee-related issues, nor do all individual members approach common refugee-related issues identically.
Media Contact: Sarah Seniuk, sseniuk@rcusa.org