The Biden administration has been making huge strides in demonstrating their commitment to refugees and immigrants. He signed three executive orders on immigration, including one that aims to reunite migrant families that the Trump administration separated.

The Trump administration slashed immigration numbers, greatly reducing access to refugees (down to only 15K per year). The Biden administration’s presidential recommendation would increase that number to 62,500 and also outlines targets for particular regions/populations such as Congo, Syria, Eritrea and Ethiopia are specifically named, the South Sudan, areas facing humanitarian issues where we are seeing new and continued acute refugee needs. Burma, where roughly 1 million Burmese have fled Myanmar to Thailand. Refugees from China, which detained more than a million Uighurs over the past few years in what the state defines as "re-education camps." Areas of central and south America are also named including El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua. However, processes for welcoming folks, many of whom have been waiting for a very long time for a safe and welcoming home, are still being worked out. Additionally, a new category of visa now allows for private sponsorship. These visas make it less expensive for the government and allows private/non-government companies and organizations to sponsor immigrants to the United States. As of now, these are just recommendations and officials and immigration advocates have cautioned that the changes would not happen immediately. Biden will eventually need to sign a presidential determination letter to make it all official.

More info on WhiteHouse.gov and more info here.