Bad news for people seeking asylum in US

[Nottingham]

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,211089,00.html?

Bad news for people seeking asylum in US
NEW YORK - Those huddled masses yearning to breathe free should not hold their breath waiting for passage to America, which is setting a record this year for refusing sanctuary to eligible asylum seekers.

The United States will admit about 25,000 refugees by the end of the current budget year, a low for a nation founded by people fleeing persecution.



Experts blame both terrorism fears and an obsolete asylum programme that still lists 'Soviets' as one of the top five nationalities that deserve US protection.

The total number of resettlements as of Sept 16 - the current fiscal year concludes at the end of this month - is only half the 50,000 admissions quota approved by President George W. Bush for 2003. That ceiling itself was a new low.

more...

Another loss due to the Iraq War but I do understand this! :bounce:

[LastDemInIdaho]

1. Just curious

Where can we find the numbers that other 1st world countries let in?

Swiss, Germany, Canada, France, Germany etc.

[rwheeler31]

2. Ashcroft is insane

nt

[LastDemInIdaho]

3. Three words

EARNS FAITHS ICONS

[AP]

7. I bet the United Nations web site has this information.

The UNHCR keepts track of this stuff.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. UNHCR stats for applications for 2002

are available at
http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home?page=statistics
(there's a link to a PDF file "Asylum application lodged..." with a ridiculously long URL)
Note these are applications. In absolute numbers, the UK had more than anywhere (hey, maybe there was something to our whinging), with the USA second. Per capita, the USA comes 26th, behind such choice destinations as Bulgaria. While the relative isolation of the USA from Africa and Asia could make some difference, note that Canada had 1.1 applications per 1000 inhabitants, compared with the USA's 0.3. So the US isn't exactly swamped.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. And here are 2002 stats for application and acceptance

http://www.unhcr.ch/static/statistics_2002/asr02-dr2-Table5.pdf

There are several ways of looking at them: the decision categories are 'recognized'; 'other positive (hum.)' meaning 'not official asylum, but allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds', I think; 'rejected'; and 'otherwise closed' - who knows what that means. The USA is particularly large in that last, nebulous category.

And I can't work out how, for the UK, pending cases at the start of the year were 39,000; applications during year 135,000; total decisions 147,000; pending cases at end of year 41,000.

[burrowowl]

4. The U$A

only lets in right-wingers for asylum.
So it might be a good thing.

[Flubadubya]

5. How soon before it is WE who need asylum...

from the USA. Let Asscrud have his way and we will be the ones in need.

[bluestateguy]

6. These are the same people who want "special rights" for Cubans

They're happy to let Mexicans die in the desert or Chinese die on boats, but Cubans get "special rights".