Bush Sets Refugee Quota at 70,000

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday set the number of refugees the United States will admit in the next fiscal year at 70,000, with the largest group -- 20,000 -- from Africa.

The overall number for fiscal 2003, which began on Oct. 1, is unchanged from last year, when it was cut by 10,000.

A White House official said that fewer than 70,000 refugees were admitted to the United States in the 2002 fiscal year that just ended, largely because of tighter security measures imposed after the Sept. 11 attacks.

In a memo released by the White House, Bush set the quotas as follows: 20,000 for Africa, 4,000 for East Asia, 2,500 for Eastern Europe, 14,000 for the former Soviet Union, 2,500 for Latin America and the Caribbean, 7,000 for the Near East and South Asia and a 20,000 reserve to be doled out as needed.

The memo, addressed to Secretary of State Colin Powell, said unused places assigned to a particular region may be transferred if there is an "overriding need" elsewhere.

(10/18/2002)

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