New York – U.S. President Barack Obama used the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha to call attention the plight of refugees and immigrants in the U.S.
“We are reminded of the millions of refugees around the globe who are spending this sacred holiday separated from their families, unsure of their future, but still hoping for a brighter tomorrow,” Mr. Obama said in a statement.
The administration reached its goal of accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees fleeing their country’s civil war. Mr. Obama’s refugee policy was opposed by lawmakers in both parties of Congress and many governors, amid concerns over terrorism.
Congressional leaders and governors are seeing a steady increase in Muslims entering the U.S. as refugees; mostly from Syria.
The Obama administration has exceeded its Syrian refugee admission target by 15 percent, with 11,491 resettled in the United States as of the beginning of this week, writes Patrick Goodenough, in cnsnews.com.
“Since President Obama’s goal of 10,000 Syrian refugee admissions in FY 2016 was achieved on August 29, the number continues to pick up steadily,” continues Goodenough.
Goodenough points out that of the 11,491 Syrian refugees, only 54 are Christian.
Muslim migration to America is now an issue since GOP Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump called for a ban on Muslims from entering the U.S.
In Trump’s plan, any Muslim entering the U.S. would have to swear an oath to the Constitution and actual deny their religion.
President Obama has three weeks left of the fiscal calendar to spend funding for the refugees arriving in the U.S.
