Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said Friday on Newsmax that President Donald Trump lowered the U.S. refugee ceiling to 7,500 to “catch up with what we’ve already absorbed,” describing the move as a practical response to an immigration system under strain.
Appearing on Newsmax’s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” Cuccinelli explained that the previous ceiling of 125,000, set under former President Joe Biden, was historically high and unsustainable.
“So just so that people have a historical picture, that 125,000 number, I believe, was the highest refugee level in American history. So understand that for starters,” Cuccinelli said.
“And the president is dropping it to 7,500. We actually talked about zero in the first term. And a big part of the reason is simply to catch up with what we’ve already absorbed.”
Cuccinelli held various positions within the federal government, beginning as the acting director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and subsequently serving as the acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security from 2019 to 2021.
In these capacities, he emerged as a leading voice for the administration on issues such as immigration, election security, and homeland security.
He noted that the Trump administration’s goal is not to end refugee admissions but to slow the pace until the government can process and integrate those who have already arrived.
Cuccinelli described the policy as a necessary reset for a system struggling with backlogs and limited resources.
Cuccinelli also drew a distinction between refugees and asylum seekers, emphasizing that refugees are fully vetted and approved by the U.S. government before entering the country.
“So when you hear the word refugee and asylum, a refugee is somebody who is in the same circumstances as a legitimate asylum seeker. But the arrangements are made with that person and their family, with the American government, before they ever arrive. So they’re cooperating with us step by step,” he said.
He added that refugees come through a structured and pre-approved process, unlike asylum seekers who arrive independently at the border.
Cuccinelli said the administration’s approach allows for planned admissions at a time when “the rest of our immigration system is still overwhelmed with the, you know, the damage done under the Biden administration that is going to take years to recover from.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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