In a major switch likely driven by his travel ban on several Middle Eastern nations, President Trump has begun flipping former President Obama’s preference of Muslim over Christian refugees.
Since the fiscal year began, 60 percent of new refugees admitted into the United States have been Christian, and just 13 percent Muslim.
Refugee Admissions Under Trump : 28,875 from Jan 20-Dec 20, 2017 (11 months). Mostly Christians 53%, Muslims 32%, Buddhists & Hindus 9%.Top nationalities Congo, Burma, Bhutan, Ukraine, Somalia.@wwwCISorg: Refugee Admissions Under the Trump Administration https://t.co/yp6tQDEttm— Nayla Rush (@NaylaRush) January 2, 2018
It continues a trend started during Trump’s first 11 months in office. According to an analysis from Center for Immigration Studies Senior Researcher Nayla Rush:
Refugees admitted in the first 11 months of the Trump administration were mostly Christian (53.2 percent), while Muslims accounted for 32 percent and Buddhists and Hindus accounted for 9.2 percent. For the same period in 2016 under Obama, the refugees admitted were plurality Muslim (45 percent), while Christians accounted for 44.2 percent and Buddhists and Hindus accounted for 5.4 percent.
The shift follows complaints by Christian groups that the Obama administration had overwhelmingly favored Muslims and ignored the plight of Christians, especially in Muslim nations.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com
