Every year, there is a “cap” on the number of refugees the United States will resettle, and that means accepting more refugees from Afghanistan could bar others seeking safety and refuge from other global crises.

There’s a simple solution: instead of squeezing people fleeing unprecedented catastrophes — many we helped create — through a defective and insufficient process, the United States could simply increase the number of refugees we welcome. In fact, the United States has a history of opening its doors to people fleeing crisis: the 1980 refugee cap was set at 231,700. 

Representatives Barbara Lee and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez organized 66 of their colleagues to pressure the Biden administration to meet this urgent moment by increasing next year’s refugee cap to no less than 200,000.

We have just a few weeks to influence the president’s decision, and that means now is the time for us to do everything we can to amplify these champions’ call. President Biden: Raise the refugee cap!