US to increase refugee intake to 1,10,000 in 2017

A senior administration official has said that the United States is planning to increase the number of refugees accepted into the country to at least 1,10,000 in 2017.

US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday briefed the Congress about the administration's decision and stated that the United States would seek to welcome 1,00,000 refugees in 2017 and would even accept more, if possible, reports the CNN.

The increase from 70,000 during 2013-2015 to 85,000 in 2016 to the plan of 1,10,000 in 2017 is more than a 57 per cent increase in refugee arrivals since 2015 and is consistent with the administration's belief that all countries should do more to help the vulnerable.

The refugee policy has also been the top issue in the 2016 US presidential election.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump stoked controversy last December when he proposed a temporary ban on all Muslims immigrating to the United States.

However, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has said that she would like to see the number of Syrian refugees accepted into the United States increase from the Obama administration's goal of 10,000 a year to 65,000 refugees.