US to accept 8,000 Syrian refugees in 2016

The United States is expected to accept between 5,000 and 8,000 Syrian refugees in 2016, US officials announced after facing criticism for accepting too few Syrians compared to more than four million fleeing the civil war in their country, reports the Patria News Agency.

State Department spokesperson John Kirby stated that 15,000 Syrian refugees have applied to the United States for permanent residency through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and that between 1,000 and 2,000 Syrian refugees were accepted this year, with that number to increase by several thousand next year, in 2016.

Kirby claims that the US is a "leader" in terms of accepting refugees and providing financial assistance to Syria, AFP reports, via Tanjug.

"We are truly committed to helping foster some kind of political transition within Syria, so that a safe environment is created for Syrians to return, including millions who are currently seeking refuge in Turkey," Kirby said.

The US has allocated four billion dollars for humanitarian purposes for those affected by the violence in Syria since 2011, and there is an agreement for the US to accept a total of 70,000 refugees from around the world, of which 33,000 are from the Middle East and South Asia, including Syria, writes the British Guardian.

Responding to criticism that they have accepted a small number of refugees, US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne Richard said that it takes time from application to approval of permanent residency.

"This is the natural flow of this process. It takes 18 to 24 months for refugees who have applied to us to go through the process, to the point where they are approved and can get a plane ticket and be brought to the US," Anne Richard stated.

The Guardian also reported that Anne Richard confirmed that the US plans to accept thousands of Syrian refugees this year and next, primarily widows, women with children, the elderly, and people requiring medical assistance.